
CoiJyrightN^_it~BL43.6 



COIVRIGHT DEPOSm 



LOG CABIN DAYS 



m^ Albert if* 115lai0Dell 

AND 

i?ranctfif m. Ball 



The American History Story-Book 
The English History Story-Book 
The Child's Book of American History 
Heroic Deeds of American Sailors 
American History for Little Folks 
Pioneers of America 
Log Cabin Days 




They tioti him to a tree, piled dry wood rotiiid him, and set the 
wood on fire. 

Fnmtispiort', Spp Jtfigc 46. 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

AMERICAN HISTORY FOR BEGINNERS 

BY 

ALBERT F. BLAISDELL 

AND 

FRANCIS K. BALL 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY 

FRANK T. MERRILL 



non-refetCT 




aiALVAD • Q3S 



BOSTON 

LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 

1921 



El 78 

.3 



Copyright, 1921, 
By Little, Brown, and Company. 



All rights reserved 
Published September, 1921 



l^ortooob ^Ttii 

Set up and electrotyped by J. S. Gushing Co. 

Norwood, Mass., U. S. A. 



[\UG10'2I 

g)CI.A62238;3 



PREFACE 

This little book, like its companion volume, 
^'American History for Xittle Folks", has 
been written to serve as an introduction to 
the more advanced books of the series, 
namely, ''The American History Story- 
Book", "The Child's Book of American 
History", ''Heroic Deeds of American 
Sailors", and "Pioneers of America." i 

The book is intended for use as a supple- 
mentary historical reader for pupils in the 
third grade of the public schools, and for 
other boys and girls from ten to twelve 
years old. The authors have set forth, in 
simple and familiar style, a few of the dra- 
matic and picturesque events which present 
the perils, hardships, self-denial, and stanch 
patriotism of our forefathers. Experienced 
teachers of history know that a bit of ro- 

v 



PREFACE 

mance, a single incident, or an interesting 
story, will often throw more light on an his- 
torical situation than many pages of mere 
description. Such material, instinct with 
human life, arouses the attention of young 
people, and tends to stimulate them to read 
and study more zealously the history of their 
country. 

The stories are gathered from historical 
sources, and the authors hope that this book, 
with the other books in the series, will serve 
as a foundation on which boys and girls may 
build a more extended and formal course in 
American history. 

Albert F. Blaisdell, 
Francis K. Ball. 

November, 1920. 



VI 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER PAQD 

Preface v 

I The Vikings 1 

II Columbus in the New World ... 7 

III Balboa's Reward 11 

IV Attacked by the Indians .... 19 
V The White Lily 24 

VI Honest Ben 30 

VII Log Cabin Days 37 

VIII Old Put 44 

IX Caesar Rodney's Ride 49 

X The Colonies Proclaim their Liberty . . 54 

XI The Patriot Spy 58 

XII Lydia Darrah Outwits the British . . 64 

XIII The Heroine of Monmouth .... 71 

XIV John Paul Jones and his Flag ... 77 
XV Brave Polly Merrill 83 

XVI Arnold the Patriot 90 

XVII Arnold the Traitor 97 

XVIII Nancy Campbell Turns Soldier . . . 105 

XIX "The American Army of Two" . . . Ill 

XX Kind-hearted Captain Dan . . . .117 

XXI Daniel Webster and the Woodchuck . . 123 

XXII Tad Lincoln 128 

Pronunciation of Proper Names . . . 135 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

They tied him to a tree, piled dry wood round 

him, and set the wood on fire . . Frontispiece 
For many days the Indians and the two children 

tramped through the woods .... Page 24 
The boys worked long and hard after the men had 

gone "33 

She dropped her pail of water, seized the rammer, 

and began to load the gun . , . . "74 
"Gentlemen," said Andr^, "I hope you belong to 

our side" "100 

Louder and louder now rolled the drum . . " 115 



LOG CABIN DAYS 



THE VIKINGS 

MANY, many years ago there lived on 
the shores of the North Sea a wild 
and fearless people called vikings, 
or sea rovers. They were tall and strong, 
with blue eyes and yellow hair. 

The vikings were pirates. They wore 
helmets and coats of mail, and fought with 
spears, swords, and knives. 

The ships of the vikings were no larger 
than our fishing boats. They were low in 
the middle, and high at the bow and the 
stern. On the bow was carved the head of 
a sea monster. The ships had both sails 
and oars. 
The vikings could handle their ships as 
1 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

a good knight could handle a horse. They 
laughed at the winds and the waves. 

"The might of the storm," they sang, 
"aids the arms of our oarsmen. The tempest 
is at our command. It carries us whither 
we would go." 

The vikings sailed along the coast of Europe, 
fighting and plundering. 

After a time some of them settled in Eng- 
land, and from there made their way into 
Scotland and Ireland. Others settled in the 
northern part of France, about the mouth 
of the Seine River. In France they were 
called the Normans, a name which means the 
Northmen, and their country was called 
Normandy. 

A ship of the vikings was once driven far 
out of her course by a storm, and was carried 
to the coast of Iceland. When the sailors 
got back home, they told of the strange new 
country. Soon afterwards some of the vi- 
kings went and settled in the new land. 

In the colony was a viking called Eric the 
2 



THE VIKINGS 

Red. One day he killed a man, and was 
exiled for three years. The chief took his 
men and sailed to the west, where he had 
heard there was another land. He found 
a rough, bleak shore, with little to be seen 
but snow and ice. 

"It will be well to give the country a good 
name," said Eric, "if we would have others 
come and live here." So he called it Green- 
land. 

When Eric went back home, he persuaded a 
large number of the vikings to go with him 
and settle in the new country. Eric's colony 
lasted for nearly five hundred years. Ruins 
of stone houses and of a church are still to 
be seen. 

Soon after Eric the Red had returned to 
Greenland, another viking sailed from Ice- 
land to join Eric's colony. But he was 
carried far to the south. He sailed for 
many days through a dense fog, seeing neither 
sun nor stars. At last he came to a level 
coast covered with thick woods. He did 

3 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

not explore the land. He was only too 
glad to sail back to Greenland. 

In the colony in Greenland was a viking 
named Leif, a son of Eric the Red. When 
Leif heard the story of the new land, he got a 
ship ready and started to the south. This 
was about the year 1000. 

One morning, after many days' sail, he 
caught sight of land. Before him was a 
low, sandy coast. There were no snow- 
clad mountains or lofty crags, as on the 
bleak shores of Greenland. 

After building a house, Leif divided his 
men into two parts. ''Half of you shall re- 
main at home at the house, while the others 
explore the land. But do not go so far that 
you cannot return in the evening, and do 
not separate." 

One evening a man of the searching party 
was missing. Leif was much troubled, and 
set out with twelve men to find him. They 
had not gone a long way, when the man saw 
them and came toward them. 

4 



THE VIKINGS 

"Where have you been?" asked Leif. 
"What has happened?" 

"I have not been much farther away, but 
I have something new to tell. I have found 
vines and grapes. " 

"But is that true?" 

"Surely it is true. I was brought up in a 
land where there is no want of either vines 
or grapes." 

The next morning Leif said to his men, 
"We will now set about two things. We 
will gather grapes, and then we will cut vines 
and fell trees to load my ship." 

They did so. When spring came, they 
sailed away. 

Leif called the new country Vinland. 
This land is supposed by some to have been 
the southern part of New England. 

The next year Thorwald, one of Leif's 
brothers, wished to go to explore Vinland. 

"Thou canst go with my ship, brother, 
if thou wilt," said Leif. 

Thorwald spent about two years in the 
5 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

new country, but was killed by the natives. 
It is said that he was the first white man 
to be buried in America. More than eight 
hundred years after his death, a skeleton in 
armor was dug up near the spot where the 
viking was said to be buried. Some have 
thought that this was the skeleton of Leif's 
brother. Longfellow wrote a poem about this 
skeleton. The poem is called ''The Skeleton 
in Armor." 

For a few years after this other vikings 
came to settle in Vinland. But they were 
fought by the natives, and sailed away. 

The vikings now began to lose interest 
in the new country, and soon forgot the brave 
deeds of their ancestors. Once more the 
land was given over to the savages. 



II 



COLUMBUS IN THE NEW WORLD 

COLUMBUS had just made his first 
voyage across the unknown ocean. 
On the twelfth of October, 1492, he 
landed on one of those small islands which 
are now called the West Indies. Richly clad, 
and bearing the royal banner of Spain, he 
stepped ashore with his men, knelt and 
kissed the ground with tears of joy, and gave 
thanks to God. 

"I claim this land," he said, "in the name 
of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella." ^ 
He named the island San Salvador. 
During the voyage across the ocean some of 
his men had become frightened, and had started 
a mutiny. These now threw themselves at 
his feet, and asked him to forgive them. 

The next three months Columbus spent in 
exploring. On the twenty-eighth of October 

7 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

he went ashore on Cuba. He thought that 
this island was a part of Asia. 

''My eyes are never weary of gazing at the 
beautiful scenery," he wrote. " The singing of 
the birds makes me wish never to depart hence. ' ' 

Columbus had sailed from Spain with 
three small ships. The largest was called 
the Santa Maria. The other two were the 
Pinta and the Nina. In the three crews 
there were about a hundred persons. 

In November, while Columbus was sail- 
ing about, the Pinta, a swifter vessel than 
the others, became separated from him. 
The captain of the Pinta, who was a daring 
sailor, continued on his course, and dis- 
covered the island of Haiti. Here Columbus 
joined him, a few days later. 

On the day after Christmas, Columbus 
built a fort on the island and left a part of 
his men there. This was the first Spanish 
colony in the New World. 

Two days later, through the carelessness 
of the pilot, the Santa Marfa ran aground on 

8 



COLUMBUS IN THE NEW WORLD 

a sandbank. No lives were lost, but the ill- 
fated ship had to be abandoned. The wind 
and waves soon dashed her to pieces. 

^'This is a sad state of things," said 
Columbus to his men. "Nobody in Europe 
knows that we have found a new way to 
India. What if we should be wrecked on 
these strange coasts, and all of us should be 
lost? No news of our success would ever 
reach the ears of King Ferdinand. Our 
names would be bywords of folly and rash- 
ness. There is only one thing to do ; we 
must sail back to Spain. It will be easy 
enough to get ships and men for another 
voyage, when the people hear our story." 

A few days later, with the Pinta and the 
Nifia, he set sail. 

All went well for a month. Then a great 
storm burst on the little fleet. During the 
next four days the sea was so rough that 
the two frail ships were nearly lost. They 
were again separated, and each had to con- 
tinue its voyage alone. 

9 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

''Have I gone through all these dangers 
and hardships to die here in mid-ocean?" 
Columbus said to himself. "Shall King 
Ferdinand never hear of what I have done?" 

He took two pieces of parchment, and 
wrote separate letters describing his dis- 
coveries. He sealed each of these and 
addressed it to King Ferdinand and Queen 
Isabella. He then wrapped each in a cloth, 
put it in a large cake of wax, and packed it 
in a cask. One of these casks he dropped 
into the sea. The other he kept on the 
deck of his ship. 

"If the ship is lost," he said, "perhaps 
one of these casks will drift ashore and be 
picked up. The letter may be found and read. 
The world will then know what I have done." 

But the ship rode safely out the storm. 

On the fifteenth of March the brave Colum- 
bus sailed proudly into the harbor of Palos, 
and sent a messenger to the king and queen. 



10 



Ill 

Balboa's reward 

NOT long after Columbus had discovered 
the New World, many Spaniards 
sailed over the ocean to the West 
Indies. They were searching for gold. Most 
of them were wild and reckless. Others were 
men of noble birth, who had spend their 
money in high living. They had come to 
the fabled land of gold to get riches without 
work. 

Columbus had discovered, southv/est of 
Cuba, a long coast which he called Darien, 
now known as the Isthmus of Panama. 

Spanish sailors said to the gold hunters 
that if they went to Darien, they would 
find all the gold they wanted. This was 
indeed glad news. 

"To Darien! To Darien!" was now the 
cry. 

11 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Two ships were ready to sail with pro- 
visions for a colony on the distant coast. 
Many of the Spanish adventurers were on 
board. 

At the last moment a large barrel was 
rolled into one of the ships, and was stowed 
away with the cargo. 

With a fair wind and a calm sea the vessels 
sped away. 

Suddenly a strange noise was heard in the 
hold of one of the ships. Thump, thump, 
thump ! The noise grew louder. 

What could it be ? 

The crew rushed below to find out what 
the trouble was. 

"Help me out of this, and be quick about 
it." 

The voice seemed to come from one of 
the barrels in which the supplies were stored. 

"There's somebody in one of those barrels," 
said the captain. "Break it open, and let 
him out." 

When the crew found the right barrel and 
12 



BALBOA S REWARD 

opened it, out leaped a fine-looking man 

dressed in velvet and silk. At his side hung 

a long sword. In his belt was a dagger. 

"Balboa !" cried the captain. "How came 

you here?" 

"Yes, I'm Balboa." 

He did not need to say that he was Balboa. 
Several of the crew knew him. He was a 
nobleman, but had lost his money, and was 
in debt. 

The captain of the ship was angry ."' 

"How came you in this barrel? What 
do you want?" 

"To tell you the truth," replied Balboa, 
"I owe money to almost everybody in Santo 
Domingo. A friend of mine helped me to 
get into this barrel, and rolled me on board 
your vessel. Here I am, bound for Darien, 
the land of gold." 

"I shall put you ashore on the first desert 
island." 

"Too bad! Too bad!" cried some of 
the sailors. "Let him go with us. He 

13 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

can be of great help to us, for he has sailed 
along this coast before." 

After a while the captain softened his 
heart and let Balboa stay in the ship. 

When they reached the coast, they found 
no trace of the colony. The captain did not 
know what to do. Balboa proposed that 
they should sail to Darien. 

"I will take you to a place where there 
is plenty of gold," he told them. 

They reached Darien, where they began 
to trade with the natives. After a while a 
quarrel arose among the Spaniards, and 
Balboa became their leader. 

Balboa now heard that not far away was 
an Indian village, with plenty of gold. He 
gained the friendship of the Indian chief. 

''Where is your gold?" he asked. 

The old chief told where his gold was 
hidden. 

After a time Balboa visited another vil- 
lage. The chief of this village had three 
thousand warriors. His palace was large 

14 



BALBOA S REWARD 

and beautiful. The Indians lived in well- 
built houses. 

''There must be a great deal of gold here," 
said Balboa to himself. 

These Indians did not care much for gold. 
One day the chief threw a bag of it among 
the Spaniards. The men began to fight 
for it. They even struck at each other 
with their swords. 

The chief was angry. 

"If you care so much for this yellow 
stuff/' he cried, "why don't you go where 
it is? On the other side of these moun- 
tains there is a great sea. On its shores, 
far to the south, there is a country where the 
people eat from gold dishes, and drink from 
gold cups. They even use gold to make 
their jars, pots, and kettles." 

Balboa and his men were greatly excited. 

"Even if there is no gold," said Balboa, 
"what honor will be mine for discovering 
this great unknown sea! How richly the 
king will reward me ! " 

15 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Balboa made up his mind to undertake 
the perilous journey. With about two hun- 
dred of his bravest men he set forth to cross 
the mountains. He had not a long way to 
go, but he found the country very rough. 
He often had to cut his way through woods 
matted with vines. Many of his followers 
died from the heat. 

Aiter days of hardship he came to the 
highest range of mountains. 

"One more day of hard climbing," he 
said to his men, "alid we shall reach the top. 
To-morrow will be a great day for us, and 
for Spain. '^ 

Early the next day, with his little band, 
he started up the mountain. For six hours 
he worked his way through the thick woods. 
At noon he stopped near the rocky peak. 

"Wait here, my men ; I will now go alone." 

Eagerly he climbed over rocks and slid- 
ing stones. At last he reached the top of 
the peak. ' 

His heart leaped for joy. Far away to 
16 



BALBOA S REWARD 

the south and west he gazed in wonder and 
awe on the sparkHng waters of an unknown 
and boundless ocean. 

Balboa fell on his knees, and raised his 
hands to heaven. 

He bade his men make a great wooden 
cross, which he set up as a symbol of his 
faith. 

Three days later he started down to the 
shore. Here he unfurled the royal banner 
of Spain. Then, walking far out into the 
sea, he raised his sword. "I claim this 
mighty ocean and all the lands that are on 
its borders in the name of the king of Spain." 

Balboa sent messengers and presents to 
the king, telling him what he had done. 
The king was greatly pleased, and made 
Balboa governor of the ocean and of the 
lands he had discovered. Balboa continued 
to explore the country and the ocean. 

But before Balboa's messengers reached 
Spain, a new governor had been sent to 
Darien. He was an evil-minded, cruel man. 

17 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

He hated Balboa because of his successes, 
and accused him of being a rebel. 

"You shall die the death of a traitor," 
cried the jealous governor. 

A trial was held, but it was a farce. Before 
sunset the brave and noble Balboa, the 
discoverer of the Pacific Ocean, was beheaded. 



18 



IV 

ATTACKED BY THE INDIANS 

THE early settlers of our country had 
a great deal of trouble with the In- 
dians. But the Indians were not 
always to blame. Sometimes the settlers 
treated them badly, and caused them to seek 
revenge. 

The Indians would hide in the woods for 
days or weeks to kill the men and carry away 
the women and children. 

In a lonely valley in southern Pennsylvania 
lived a man named Paul Hart man. He had 
a wife and four children. George, the oldest, 
was a young man of twenty. Barbara was 
twelve, Regina was ten. The baby boy was 
five or six. There was also a big family 
watchdog, named Nero. 

Our story begins on a frosty morning late 
19 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

in October. Mr. Hartman read the morning 
lesson from the large family Bible. Then 
they all knelt in prayer. The good man 
prayed, ''We thank thee, Lord, for thy 
good care and love to us. Help us to live 
aright. We pray thee to keep us this day 
from harm and danger. But not our will 
but thine be done." 

After breakfast they made their plans for 
the day. Mrs. Hartman and the little boy 
were to go to the mill to get flour. Mr. Hart- 
man and George were to work in the field. 
The two girls, Barbara and Regina, were 
to stay in the cabin and keep house with 
Nero. 

The little boy sat before his mother on the 
horse. When they were passing by the field, 
he waved his little hand and called out, 
"Good-by, papa; good-by, George." 

Barbara was busy all the morning. At 
noon she blew a blast on the old tin horn 
to call her father and brother to dinner. 
While they were eating, in dashed Nero. The 

20 



ATTACKED BY THE INDIANS 

old dog was greatly excited. His hair stood 
up, and he growled fiercely. 

Mr. Hartman knew that the faithful dog 
would not run from any common foe. He 
left the table and went to the cabin door. 

Bang ! came the sharp crack of a rifle, and 
he fell dead on the floor. 

George sprang to the help of his father. 

Bang ! came another rifle shot, and he too 
fell dead. 

A moment more, and a dozen yelling 
savages rushed into the cabin. 

Nero leaped at the throat of a redskin, 
only to be killed by a tomahawk. Barbara 
hid in the loft. Poor little Regina knelt and 
began to pray. 

The Indians ate the dinner which the girls 
had made ready for their father and brother. 
Then they began to plunder the cabin. They 
dragged Barbara from her hiding place, set 
fire to the cabin, and took the two girls into 
the woods. 

"Oh, mamma, mamma! Oh, where is my 
21 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

mother? " came the cry of a child from behind 
some bushes. 

It was a Httle girl, tied to a tree. Her name 
was Susie Smith. Her father and mother, 
who lived near, had been killed a few hours 
before. : 

The savages now carried off the three girls 
into the deep woods. 

What a sad home-coming was that for the 
good wife and mother in the evening! 

*'We must surely have taken the wrong 
trail," said Mrs. Hartman to herself. 

No, there was the big pine tree that stood 
near their house. But no cabin was to be 
seen. The rising smoke told the sad story. 

The poor mother began to feel the awful 
truth that her family had been killed or carried 
away by the Indians. She fell on her knees, 
and sobbed a prayer to God for help. 

How sad and terrible was the grief of the 
poor woman during the long years that fol- 
lowed ! She tried to learn of the fate of her 
children. Kind-hearted friends built her a log 

22 



ATTACKED BY THE INDIANS 

cabin, where she hved with her young son, 
who was now her only comfort. 

Should you like to know what became of the 
girls who were taken away by the Indians? 
That will be told you in the next story. 



23 



THE WHITE LILY 

WE have just read how the Indians 
carried off the three Httle girls, Re- 
gina, Barbara, and Susie, into the 
deep woods. On the next day Barbara fell 
sick. All night she was burning with a fever. 
Regina brought water, and nursed her as she 
lay on the damp ground. 

In the morning she was not able to walk. 
The Indians tried to make Regina carry her 
sister on her back. Of course she was not 
strong enough. The cruel savages then killed 
the sick girl. 

For many days the Indians and the two 
children tramped through the woods. After 
a time they came to an Indian village. The 
girls soon learned that they were to be kept 
together. An old Indian squaw took them 

24 




For many days the Indians and the two chiUlrou tramped 
through the woods. 

Page 24. 



THE WHITE LILY 

as her own children. Regina was given 
a long Indian name which meant the White 
Lily. 

The old squaw had a long name meaning 
the Dark and Rainy Cloud. It was a good 
name for her, for she was often cross and un- 
kind to the girls, and would beat them. 

Regina and Susie's life for the next ten 
years was hard and lonely. As the time 
passed by, Regina learned to speak the Indian 
language, and almost forgot her own. 

She used to go alone into the woods. Here 
she would repeat the Lord's Prayer, which 
her good mother had taught her in their 
cabin home. She would sing some of the 
hymns she had learned when a little girl. 
One of the hymns began 

" Alone, and yet not all alone am I 
In this lone wilderness." 

Little by little she forgot how the log cabin 
in the woods looked. The face of her dear 
mother and the happy children about the 
fireplace seemed like a dream. Even the 

25 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

awful scene of that last day slowly faded from 
her memory. 

After a time Colonel Henry Bouquet, a 
British officer, drove the Indians across the 
Ohio River. He then compelled them to 
give up their captives. 

These captives were brought to Fort Pitt, 
where Pittsburg now stands. Fathers and 
mothers came from far and near to see if 
they could find their long-lost children. It 
was a joyful but a sad and pathetic sight. 
The old Indian fighters shed tears when they 
saw the mothers crying over their dear ones. 

But fifty or more of the children had nobody 
to claim them. Aniong these was the White 
Lily. 

Poor Mrs. Hartman had nearly lost hope 
that God would answer her prayers and send 
her tidings of her children. All these long 
years she had sung at evening time her 
favorite hymn : 

" Alone, and yet not all alone am I 
In this lone wilderness." 

26 



THE WHITE LILY 

Tears would run down her wrinkled cheeks 
as she thought how many times she had sung 
the old hymn to her little ones in the days 
of long ago. > 

"Come to Carlisle about the middle of 
September, my dear Mrs. Hartman," said 
Colonel Bouquet to her ; "many lost children 
will be brought there. Perhaps yours will 
be with them." 

The poor old mother left her cabin in the 
mountains and went to Carlisle. 
I The unclaimed children stood in a line as 
the anxious fathers and mothers passed along 
trying to pick out their dear lost ones. 

The care-worn Mrs. Hartman looked into 
the faces of the girls, hoping to find her 
daughters. It was in vain. Crying as if 
her heart would break, she made ready to go 
back to her home. 

"Can you not find your children, Mrs. 
Hartman?" asked the British officer. 

"No, indeed, sir," she replied; "they are 
not here." 

27 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

"Are you sure? Are there no signs or 
marks by which you might know them?" 

''No, Colonel ; there was not even a scar." 

''My good woman, surely you used to sing 
to your little girls. Is there no song they 
loved? Sing to these young folks one of the 
songs you used to sing to your children when 
they were little." 

"I used to sing them to sleep with an old 
hymn. But these soldiers will laugh at me 
if I sing." 

"Try it, while I walk along the line and 
watch for you." 

The old mother took heart. She began 

to sing in a clear but trembling voice the dear 

old hymn of her cabin home : 

" Alone, and yet not all alone am I 
In this lone wilderness." 

Men, women, and children became silent, 
and turned to look and listen. The faithful 
old mother stood with closed eyes. Her 
hands were clasped. The sun lighted up her 
wrinkled face and her snow-white hair. 

28 



THE WHITE LILY 

When she began the second verse of the 
hymn, a tall, Indian-like girl ran to her. She 
threw her arms about her neck and sobbed, 
''Mother, mother!" 

Almost in a faint the aged mother cried, 
''Oh, my God, it is Regina, my dear little girl." 

Regina joined her mother in singing again 

the old hymn : 

" Alone, and yet not all alone am I 
In this lone wilderness." 



29 



VI 

HONEST BEN 

TWO hundred years ago there lived in 
Boston a boy who was known to his 
playmates as Ben Franklin. Ben was 
clever at his play and clever at his books. He 
learned to read when he was a child. Indeed, 
he could not remember wh^i he was not able 
to read. 

The Franklin family was large, and there 
was much work to do. The father kept 
a little shop. He made and sold soap and 
candles. When Ben was only ten years old, 
he left school to help his father in the shop. 
He cut the wicks for the candles, and filled 
the wax molds with hot tallow. 

When you are older, you will wish to read 
how the young boy grew up and became one of 
the most famous and useful men of his time. 

30 



HONEST BEN 

Have you ever heard the story about Ben 
FrankHn and his whistle? 

On a holiday, when Ben was seven years 
old, his friends filled his little pocket with 
pennies. Ben went to a shop where they 
sold toys. He was pleased with a whistle 
which another boy had, and gave aU his 
money for one. 

When he got home, he went whistling all 
over the house, disturbing everybody. 

''How much did you pay for your whistle? " 
his brother asked. 

"All the money I had." 

''You ought to have asked the price. You 
have paid four times what it is worth." 

His brothers, and sisters, and cousins 
laughed at him, and told him the good things 
he might have bought with the rest of his 
money. 

Ben cried with vexation, but he never for- 
got the lesson. 

Often, as he grew older, when he was 
tempted to buy something he did not need, 

31 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

he would say, '^ Don't give too much for the 
whistle." And he saved his money. 

If he knew a miser, who gave up the 
pleasure of doing good to others for the sake 
of getting rich, he said, "Poor man, you pay 
too much for your whistle." 

If he saw a person who went in debt for 
fine clothes, fine houses, or other fine things, 
and ended in prison, he would say, ''He has 
paid dear, very dear, for his whistle." 

Thus he thought many people made them- 
selves unhappy and miserable by their own 
actions, ''by paying too much for their 
whistles." 

While Franklin was a boy, he lived near 
a mill pond. This pond was a favorite place 
for him and his playmates to fish for minnows. 
The edge of the pond was sometimes deep in 
mud. 

"This will never do," said the boys. "We 
must have a better place to stand while we 
fish." 

"Yes," said Ben." I know what we can 
32 




The boys worked long and hard after the iiieu liail gi.nt-. 
Page 33. 



HONEST BEN 

do. Do you see that pile of stones near the 
house those men are building? We will 
bring those stones and build a wharf." 

''Hurrah for you, Ben," shouted the boys. 
*' We will do it this evening." 

The boys worked long and hard after the 
men had gone. It was past bedtime before 
they had finished their little wharf. 

"Now, boys," said Ben to his tired but 
happy playmates, ''Let us go home and go to 
bed." 

Of course the workmen were angry when 
they found the stones gone. 

"Who could have carried them off?" they 
asked. 

The tracks of the feet in the mud told the 
story. 

The foreman was angry. "The little 
rascals shall pay for this," he said. He told 
his story to the fathers of the boys. 

"Ben," said Mr. Franklin. "What made 
you steal those stones?" 

"I did not mean to do wrong," said the 
33 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

lad. ''I told the boys that the stones would 
do more good in our wharf than in that house." 

''No, indeed, my son," said the father. 
''The stones were not yours. It was wrong 
to carry them away. Nothing is useful 
which is not honest." 

When Ben Franklin was seventeen years 
old, he left home and went to Philadelphia, 
where he spent most of his life. After he had 
been there awhile, he went back to Boston to 
see his friends. 

While in Boston, he called one evening on 
the famous preacher Cotton Mather. When 
he took his leave, the minister showed him 
a shorter way out of the house, through a 
narrow passage which was crossed by a beam 
overhead. 

"Stoop, stoop," suddenly cried out the 
good old man. 

Franklin did not understand him till he 
hit his head against the beam. 

"Ah," said the minister, "you are young 
and have the world before you ; stoop as 

34 



HONEST BEN 

you go through it, and you will miss many 
hard thumps." 

''This advice/' said Franklin in after life, 
''thus beat into my head, has frequently 
been of use to me; and I often think of it 
when I see pride mortified, and misfortunes 
brought upon people by their carrying their 
heads too high." 

After a few years of hard work as a printer 
in Philadelphia, Franklin had a printing 
office of his own. He published a newspaper 
which became one of the best in the country. 
He was not afraid to speak the plain truth 
in his paper. 

"You write too plainly in your newspaper," 
said some of his readers. "If you don't stop, 
we will not take the paper any longer." 

"Well," replied Franklin, "come and have 
supper with me next Sunday, and we will talk 
it over. Besides, I should like to have you 
meet my good wife, Deborah." 

"All right," repHed the fault-finders. "We 
will come." 

35 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

When they sat down to the table, there was 
nothing to eat but two puddings made of 
coarse corn meal, commonly called sawdust 
puddings, and a pitcher of water. 

Franklin helped his guests. Then filling 
his own plate, he began to eat heartily. 

The guests tried to imitate him, but could 
not. They did not like such coarse food. 

Franklin at last arose and said, ''My 
friends, anybody who can live on sawdust 
pudding and water, as I can, needs no man's 
patronage." 

The story of this supper spread through the 
city. The fault-finding people were laughed 
at. It is said that more people than ever 
read Franklin's paper. 



36 



VII 

LOG CABIN DAYS 

THE early settlers in America began 
their new life by cutting down trees 
and building log cabins. Then they 
set to work to clear the land and make it 
ready to cultivate. 

In the South the climate was warm, the 
land was fertile, and living was not so diffi- 
cult as in the North. 

One of the first colonists in the South 
was John Rolfe, in Virginia. He married 
Pocahontas, the Indian girl who saved the 
life of Captain John Smith. 

John Rolfe began to raise tobacco, and 
sent it to England. There was such a ready 
sale for it that his neighbors began to raise 
it too. Then other colonists came over 
from England to start plantations of it. 

37 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

English girls now came to Virginia, to 
find homes on the plantations. The young 
planters married the girls, and their rough 
log cabins became cheerful homes. 

In those days people thought it was right 
to own slaves. In the South the planters 
bought slaves to work on the plantations, 
for the slaves could endure the intense heat 
without discomfort. 

Tobacco was so common, and there was 
such a demand for it, that it took the place 
of money as a means of exchange. It was 
used even to pay wages and taxes. 

In the South the Indians were generally 
friendly, and the settlers did not have to 
protect themselves by having their houses 
near each other. Thus great plantations 
sprang up along the large rivers and the 
inlets of the sea, within reach of the trading 
ships. 

Many of the planters became wealthy. 
They n6 longer lived in log cabins, but in 
stately mansions, with broad porches and 

38 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

tall pillars. The furniture and silverware 
came from England, About the mansions 
were extensive lawns, beautiful flower gardens, 
and stables with fine horses. 

Some of the slaves were trained to be car- 
penters. Some became blacksmiths. Some 
were shoemakers. With numerous store- 
houses, workshops, stables, and cabins for 
the slaves, the larger plantations looked like 
little villages. 

In the early days in the South there were 
no public schools, and few schools of any 
kind. The rich planters had private teachers 
for their sons, or sent them to school in 
England. 

The people of the South became noted for 
their great hospitality, their gentle manners, 
and their elegant taste in dress and ways 
of living. 

But in New England the climate was 
cold, the land was stony and poor, and the 
farms were small. The settlers were soon 
troubled by the Indians. To protect them- 

39 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

selves, they built their cabins close together, 
in villages, with a meeting-house in the 
center. 

For several years the Pilgrims had no 
cows, and were without milk, butter, and 
cheese. But they found the woods full of 
bears, deer, and wild turkeys. In the bay 
they obtained fish and other sea food. 

One day a Pilgrim shot an eagle. Elder • 
Brewster says in his book that it was woe- 
fully tough. 

From the Indians they learned how to 
raise Indian corn. They obtained corn from 
the Indians, giving them knives, beads, and 
colored cloth in exchange. We are told 
that one hungry Pilgrim traded his little 
dog for a peck of grain. 

The log cabins of the early settlers in New 
England were poorly furnished. The floor 
was nothing but the earth, or slabs of trees 
with the flat side up. Instead of chairs 
there were blocks of wood cut from trees. 
The fire in the big fireplace served as a lamp. 

40 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

In a corner stood the spinning-wheel, which 
spun the yarn to make clothing. Over the 
fireplace hung a gun, which was ready for 
use at any moment. 

The winters were long and severe, and the 
people found it hard to keep warm. Nearly 
the whole end of the cabin was taken up by 
the fireplace. It was so wide and so deep 
that a great log could be rolled back into 
it. This log was called the backlog. It 
served to throw out the heat. The fire 
was built in front of it. One of the many 
chores of the boys was to keep the fireplace 
supplied with wood. 

There were no matches. A fire was 
started by striking steel against flint. The 
sparks were caught in dry moss or a half- 
burnt rag. Then the sparks were nursed 
into a flame. The fire in the fireplace was 
kept through the night by covering the 
coals and wood with ashes. If the fire hap- 
pened to go out, a boy was sent to a neigh- 
bor to borrow fire, as they said in those days. 

41 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

The wives and daughters had no stove 
to do the cooking. They hung the pots 
and kettles over the hot coals in the fireplace. 
After a time an oven of stone or brick was 
built in the chimney, at the side of the fire- 
place. In this the baking was done. 

The Pilgrims made Sunday a day of rest. 
The Sabbath began at six o'clock on Satur- 
day afternoon, and lasted until sunset on 
Sunday. No work was done except what had 
to be done, and there were no amusements. 

Everybody had to go to church, or be 
punished. The people were called together 
by the blast of a horn or by the beating of 
a drum. The men sat on one side of the 
meeting-house, the women on the other. 
The meeting-house was not heated. The 
sermon sometimes lasted two hours or more. 
Special officers of the church made the 
people pay attention to the services. These 
officers carried long rods, with which they 
rapped a careless boy on the head, or wakened 
a grown-up person from a nap. 

42 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

The people of New England could hardly 
make a living on their poor little farms, 
and they looked about for something better 
to do. They found that the trees were good 
for building ships. They went busily to 
work, and became great ship-builders. 

Salem became a great trading port. From 
early times her ships sailed to Europe, Africa, 
and Asia, and returned laden with goods. 

The ships built in New England were also 
much used in whaling and fishing. For 
many years New Bedford sent out more 
whaling ships than any other port in the 
world. 

Thus wealth and luxury came to New 
England, with better houses and better ways 
of living. 



43 



VIII 

OLD PUT 

ISRAEL PUTMAN, afterwards nicknamed 
Old Put, was born in the eastern part of 
Massachusetts. When he became of age, 
he bought a farm in Connecticut, and went 
there to Hve. 

At this time there were wolves in the 
woods near his farm. Every winter an old 
she-wolf came with her family of young 
wolves. They often killed his pigs and fine 
sheep. 

The farmers of the neighborhood wished 
to rid themselves of these pests. They 
tracked the old wolf to her den in a cave. 
They tried to drive her out by burning brush- 
wood, straw, and sulphur at the mouth of 
the cave. 

Putnam was noted for his strength and 
courage. 

44 



OLD PUT 

"I will go in and find her," he said. ''Tie 
a rope round my waist. Take hold of the 
other end, and pull hard when I give the 
signal." 

He crept in through the narrow mouth of 
the cave. He saw something that looked 
like balls of fire. It was the eyes of the old 
wolf. 

Putnam gave the rope a jerk. 

His friends pulled him out as quick as they 
could. 

''I only want my gun," he said. 

With his gun in one hand and a piece of 
burning bark in the other he made his way 
back into the cave. The wolf started toward 
him. He took careful aim, and fired. 

His friends pulled him out again, in great 
haste. 

After a little while the sturdy young farmer 
crawled into the cave once more. 

The old wolf was dead. 

Putnam was not only a good farmer, but a 
good soldier. He was the hero of many 

45 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

brave deeds and lively adventures in the 
early history of our country. He fought 
against the Indians, and was a gallant com- 
mander in the War of the Revolution. 

Once he was captured by the Indians. 
They meant to burn him alive. They tied 
him to a tree, piled dry wood round him, and 
set the wood on fire. Then they began to 
dance round him, and shout. 

Suddenly a French officer dashed through the 
ring of howling savages. He kicked the burn- 
ing wood away, and cut the prisoner loose. 

The redskins were pleased because Putnam 
showed no sign of fear. They took him 
away with them to Canada. He was finally 
set free and went back to his home. 

One day in April, 1775, when Putnam was 
on his farm plowing, a man came galloping 
down the road. ' 

''To arms, to arms!" he shouted to Put- 
nam. ''There has been a fight at Lexington. 
The king's soldiers have fired on our men." 

"I must be off to Boston," cried Putnam. 
46 



OLD PUT 

He left his plow in the field, turned his 
oxen loose, leaped on his horse, and in one 
day rode to Cambridge, sixty-eight miles away. 

When he returned home, he was made an 
officer. Within a week he got a little army 
together, drilled the men, and was on his 
way back to Cambridge with them. 

In May of this same year he took soldiers 
to Noddle's Island, burned one of the 
enemy's ships, and captured another. 

Putnam was one of the bravest soldiers at 
the battle of Bunker Hill, and was made a 
general. He was not only a brave soldier, 
but a trusted leader. 

At one time he was in command of the 
Highlands, in New York. The enemy sent and 
demanded the safety of a captured officer. 

Putnam sent the following reply : 

" Edmund Palmer, an officer in the enemy's service, 
was taken as a spy lurking within our lines; he has 
been tried as a spy, condemned as a spy, and shall be 
executed as a spy. 

"Israel Putman. 

" P.S. He has been accordingly executed." 

47 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Putnam was active in the service of his 
country as long as he lived. 

In the autumn of 1779, when the army 
went into winter quarters, he returned to his 
farm. In the spring he started out again 
for camp, but was stricken with paralysis, 
from which he never completely recovered. 
He died on the twenty-ninth of May, 1790. 

On his tombstone are the following words : 

''he dared to lead where any dared to 

FOLLOW." 



48 



IX 



CiESAR Rodney's ride 



FOR more than a year war had been 
going on between England and her 
colonies in America. The battle of 
Bunker Hill had been fought, and Wash- 
ington had driven the British out of Boston. 
The needless quarrel was growing more 
and more bitter. Many of those who had 
been loyal to England began to think that 
the only remedy was to break away from the 
mother country. 

^'When I took command of the army," 
Washington said, ''I abhorred the idea of 
independence; but I am now fully satisfied 
that nothing else will save us." 

So it came to pass, in the year 1776, that 
the Continental Congress met in the Old 

49 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

State House in Philadelphia to see what 
could be done. Of course there was a great 
deal of talk about the trouble. 

''Let us have independence," said the 
delegates from North Carolina. 

''Yes," answered Virginia and the colonies 
of New England. 

It was now the seventh of June. Richard 
Henry Lee, of Virginia, rose and made the 
motion that "these united colonies are and of 
right ought to be free and independent 
states." John Adams, of Massachusetts, 
seconded the motion. 

The vote on this motion was put off till 
the first day of July. If they voted yes, 
they wished to give their reasons for doing 
so. A committee of five men, Thomas Jeffer- 
son, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger 
Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, was 
appointed to prepare a statement. Jefferson 
was chosen to write it. This paper is called 
the Declaration of Independence. 

The first of July came. Mr. Lee's motion 
50 



CtESAR RODNEY S RIDE 

was debated, and was to be put to vote on 
the following day. 

The delegates from Delaware were Caesar 
Rodney, Thomas McKean, and George Read. 
Mr. Rodney was not present on the first of 
July. He was then in southern Delaware, 
eighty miles away. His vote was needed, be- 
cause Mr. Read was opposed to independence. 

''We must have the vote of Delaware," 
said one of the patriots; "and to get it we 
must have Mr. Rodney's vote. We are 
going to take a most decisive step. These 
colonies must present a solid front." 

''Yes," said another, "we need Mr. Rod- 
ney's vote; but how shall we get it?" 

"I will see that Mr. Rodney is here to sign 
the Declaration," said Mr. McKean. "Leave 
the matter to me." 

So off rode a man on horseback at break- 
neck speed to carry the message to Mr. 
Rodney. The message said, "Come quickly 
if you wish to vote on July second for the 
Declaration of Independence." 

51 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Mr. Rodney was a quiet Quaker farmer. 
He was not a great orator, like so many 
others in the Continental Congress ; but he 
was known far and wide as a fearless man 
who believed in General Washington. 

The messenger found Mr. Rodney eating 
his breakfast. The message from Phil- 
adelphia acted on him like a tonic. Not a 
moment did he delay. He called to his 
negro servant, "Hi, you there, Pompey, 
saddle my black horse, and be quick about 
it." 

The favorite horse was soon ready. 

The Quaker patriot galloped off like the 
wind. Through heat and dust all that July 
day he rode toward Philadelphia as fast a? 
his horse could carry him. When his horsts 
gave out, he stopped just long enough to 
get another. 

"If I am only in time!" he said to him- 
self. "If I am only in time!" 

Evening came. Mr. McKean stood wait- 
ing for some word from the missing delegate. 

52 



c^sAR Rodney's ride 

Other patriots also cast longing eyes far down 
the street. The bell on the State House was 
ringing its sharp call for the members to 
meet in the council room. The strokes of 
the bell began to grow slower. 

The bell ceased to ring. 

Mr. McKean looked very sober. 

But what sound was that? Was it the 
sound of a horse's hoofs ? 

In another moment a rider on a horse 
covered with foam and dust came galloping 
through the quiet street, and stopped at 
the door of the State House. 

The tired, dust-covered patriot marched 
into the council room just in time to answer 
to the roll call. 

''I vote for independence," he cried, amid 
the cheers of the assembled delegates. 



53 



X 

THE COLONIES PROCLAIM THEIR LIBERTY 

WE have just read that Thomas Jeffer- 
son was chosen to write the Decla- 
ration of Independence. Jefferson 
was not a great orator, but he could write 
plain and simple English. 

When he finished the writing, he asked 
Benjamin Franklin to call at his room to 
hear what he had written. 

Franklin listened with great interest. 
''That's good enough," he said. ''I wish 
I had written it myself. That will make 
King George gnash his teeth." 

On the third of July, 1776, the Declaration 
of Independence was presented to the Con- 
tinental Congress. There was a good deal 
of lively talk. With a few slight changes, 
however, it was adopted, on the evening of 
the fourth of July. 

54 



THE COLONIES PROCLAIM THEIR LIBERTY 

During the day of the fourth of July hun- 
dreds of people were gathered outside the 
Old State House. They were anxious to 
know how the question of independence 
would be decided. 

The old bell ringer had been in the belfry 
since morning. He was to ring the bell if 
the Declaration of Independence was ac- 
cepted by the Continental Congress. A boy 
in the hall below was to give him the signal. 

'^They will never do it, they will never do 
it," cried the old man, shaking his head. 

Suddenly a shout came from below. The 
boy, wild with excitement, came running up 
the belfry stairs, calling out, "Ring, ring." 

The old man rang the bell as it had never 
been rung before. 

Riders on swift horses carried the glad 
news far and wide. Cannon were fired, bells 
were rung, patriotic music was played, flags 
were flung to the breeze, and big bonfires 
were lighted on the hills. 

On the nineteenth of July, Congress decided 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

that the Declaration of Independence should 
be written on parchment. On the second 
of August fifty-three members of Congress 
signed it. Three absent members were 
allowed to sign it later. 

Look at a copy of the Declaration of In- 
dependence and see the big bold signature 
of John Hancock, of Massachusetts. 

''There," exclaimed this great patriot, 
laying down the pen, ''King George can 
read that without spectacles." 

"We must all hang together," he had de- 
clared on that famous fourth of July. 

"We must indeed all hang together," re- 
plied the witty Benjamin Franklin, "or 
most assuredly we shall all hang separately." 

Stephen Hopkins, of Rhode Island, was sick 
at this time; his name is written with a 
shaky hand. 

"See how my hand trembles," he said; 
"but my heart does not." 

All honor to the fifty-six patriots who 
signed the Declaration of Independence. 

56 



THE COLONIES PROCLAIM THEIR LIBERTY 

They staked 'Hheir lives, their fortunes, and 
their sacred honor." They were men of high 
purpose and exalted character. They were 
fit to become the leaders of the young nation. 
The old Liberty Bell, which rang out the 
glad news, is now guarded as a sacred relic 
in the lower hall of the Old State House, in 
Philadelphia. This bell was made in Eng- 
land for the State House. It was brought 
to Philadelphia in 1752. In being taken 
from the ship it met with an accident, and 
had to be recast. On it were then inscribed 
the following words, taken from the Bible: 

''proclaim LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE 
LAND, UNTO ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF." 

This is just what the old Liberty Bell 
did for many years. In 1835 the old bell 
was cracked while being tolled for the death 
of Chief Justice Marshall, one of the great 
men of our country. In 1854 it was placed 
in the Old State House, now called In- 
dependence Hall. If you go to Philadelphia, 
you will wish to see it. 

57 



XI 

THE PATRIOT SPY 

IT was in September, 1776, a little more 
than a year after the battle of Bunker 
Hill. The patriots had been defeated in 
the battle of Long Island, and Washington 
and his army were forced to leave New York 
City. They were now at Harlem. 

The outlook for the patriot army was almost 
hopeless. There were only about fourteen 
thousand men fit for duty. Many of the sol- 
diers were sick. Winter was near at hand. 
Hundreds were without tents, shoes, and cloth- 
ing. There was little or no money to pay the 
soldiers. 

A British army of twenty-five thousand was 
in camp about New York. A fleet of warships 
was at hand to help the army. Guard ships 
sailed to and fro, to watch every movement of 
the patriot army. 

58 



THE PATRIOT SPY 

"We shall crush the rebels and stay in New 
York all winter/' said General Howe, the 
British commander. 

No wonder Washington was sad at heart. 

"It would be a great pity," he said, "to 
give up New York to the enemy without a 
battle." 

Scouts came in and said that the British 
were getting ready to make a move. Wash- 
ington asked his officers to meet him. They 
talked over the situation long and calmly. 

"We must find the right sort of man," said 
Washington, "and send him in disguise into 
the British camp to learn their plans." 

"Have you such a man?" he asked Colonel 
Knowlton, one of the heroes at Bunker Hill. 
"He must be a man with a quick eye, a cool 
head, and nerves of steel." 

"I will do my best, sir, to find you such a 



man." 



On that same day Knowlton called some of 
his officers to his tent. He told them what 
General Washington wanted. All were silent. 

59 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

They were brave men, but they hated to play 
the spy. 

"Once more I will ask," said Knowlton. 
"Who will do this for General Washington?" 

Not one of them would take the risk of being 
hanged as a spy. 

At this moment Captain Nathan Hale came 
into the tent. "I will try it," he said quietly. 

The boyish young officer was twenty-one 
years old. He looked pale, for he had been 
sick. 

Everybody loved Nathan Hale. His fel- 
low officers begged him to change his mind. 

"I know the danger," he said; "I'll take 
the risk. I wish to be of use. If Washington 
asks me to go, I will go." 

He left the camp, and got his orders from 
Washington. He was soon ready for his trip 
into the enemy's camp. He took off his uni- 
form, and put on a brown coat and a broad- 
brimmed Quaker hat. Pretending to be a 
schoolmaster looking for a place, he crossed 
the British lines. 

60 



THE PATRIOT SPY 

The redcoat soldiers liked the Quaker school- 
master. He laughed, cracked jokes, and told 
stories that pleased them. One of the British 
officers afterwards spoke of him as "sl jolly 
good fellow." 

Meanwhile Hale kept his eyes and ears open. 
He drew plans of the forts, and hid the papers 
in his shoes. 

After spending two weeks in the British 
camp, he was ready to go back. A boat was 
to meet him. 

Near the landing place was an inn, at which 
he ate supper and spent the night. This 
tavern was kept by a Tory woman, nicknamed 
Mother Chick. It was a favorite resort for 
the Tories of that region. 

Captain Hale knew this, but he felt safe. 
When he went into the inn, some men were in 
the barroom. One of them gave a sharp look 
at the pretended schoolmaster, and then 
slipped away. 

'^I think I have seen him before," said Hale 
to himself. 

61 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

To this day we are not sure who this man 
was. But he knew the Quaker schoolmaster, 
and sent word to General Howe. 

At sunrise Captain Nathan was up and 
dressed, ready to go back to the American 
army. He hurried to the beach, where he saw 
a boat making for the shore. He waved to 
the men. Nobody answered his call. 

When the boat drew near the landing, he 
saw that it was filled with British soldiers. 

Hale turned to run. 

"Surrender or die," was the sharp order 
from the officer in command. 

Escape was impossible. He gave himself 
up. 

He was taken on board a British guard ship, 
which lay at anchor close by, hidden from sight 
by a point of land. He was searched, and the 
telltale papers were found. 

''You are my prisoner, my fine fellow," 
said the captain, ''and I think you are a spy; 
you must go to New York." 

Calm and fearless, Nathan Hale stood be- 
62 



THE PATRIOT SPY 

fore General Howe. He did not deny that 
he was a spy. 

''I am only sorry," he said, ^Hhat I did not 
serve my country better." 

^'To be hanged to-morrow morning at day- 
break," was the stern verdict. 
: Before sunrise, on a beautiful Sabbath morn- 
ing in September, Captain Nathan Hale was 
led out to death. Early as it was, a number of 
men and women had come to see the sad 
sight. 

Lifting his eyes to heaven. Hale said in a 
calm, clear voice, ''I only regret that I have 
but one life to lose for my country." 



63 



XII 

LYDIA DARRAH OUTWITS THE BRITISH 

DURING the second year of the War of 
the Revolution the patriots were hav- 
ing a hard time. In the late summer 
they tried to stop the British attack at the 
Brandywine, but were driven from the field. 
Two weeks later the redcoats entered Phila- 
delphia, which was then the capital of the na- 
tion. A few days later Washington attacked 
the enemy at Germantown, but met with de- 
feat. He then fell back to the hills, twenty 
miles from Philadelphia. 

General Howe, the British commander, with 
his men, was now living in ease and comfort 
in Philadelphia. Washington and his half- 
starved and ragged Continentals were endur- 
ing all kinds of hardships at Valley Forge. 

''Washington's men are nearly naked and 
starving," said General Howe to his chief 

64 



LYDIA DARRAH OUTWITS THE BRITISH 

officer. " Now is the time to hit a hard blow. 
We will march out and make a night attack. 
They cannot stand up against our well-fed 
and well-drilled regulars." 

Just across the street from the British head- 
quarters lived a young Quaker woman named 
Lydia Darrah. In her house lodged one of 
General Howe's staff officers. Here was a 
quiet place for the British officers to talk over 
their plans. 

"Mistress Darrah," said Lydia's lodger one 
cold winter morning, ''I expect some friends 
here to-night. Have the back room upstairs 
ready. My guests are likely to stay late ; see 
to it that your family are all in bed early. I 
will call you when my guests are ready to go." 

Late that evening several British officers of 
high rank came quietly to the house. The 
Darrah family were all in bed except Lydia, 
who sat up to open the door. 

"Now, my good woman," said the officer, 
"you may go to bed. I will call you when my 
friends are ready to go." 

65 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Lydia Darrah did not believe in war or 
bloodshed. But at heart she was a patriot, 
and longed to do all she could to serve her 
country. 

She went to her room, but lay down on 
her bed without undressing. She was restless 
and uneasy. 

''My husband heard in the street that Gen- 
eral Howe was ready to attack Washington," 
she said to herself. ''Perhaps that is what 
these officers are talking about. Oh, if I 
could only do something to help General 
Washington ! Perhaps I can find out what 
these officers are planning." 

Still as a mouse, she stole out of her door. 
She crept down the hall in her stocking feet, 
to the room where the officers were holding 
their meeting. She put her ear to the key- 
hole. Her lodger was reading aloud an order 
from General Howe : 

" To-morrow night our troops will leave the city 
secretly, and march out and attack Washington at 
Whitmarsh." 

66 



LYDIA DARRAH OUTWITS THE BRITISH 

It was enough. Lydia crept back to her 
room. She could not sleep. 

The bell on a neighboring church struck 
twelve. 

Rap, rap ! came a knock on her door. The 
officers were ready to go. 

Rap, rap ! louder than before. 

'' She 's a sound sleeper," growled her lodger. 

Loud and sharp he knocked for the third 
time, rap, rap, rap ! 

It would not do for her to delay any 
longer. 

''I '11 come in a moment, sir," said a sleepy 
voice. 

She came to the door, rubbing her eyes. 
She let out the midnight guests, locked the 
door, and went to bed. Of course there was 
not a wink of sleep for her that night. She 
lay awake thinking what to do. 

"I must get word to General Washington 
at once. I must take all the risk myself. If 
I send my husband and he is caught, General 
Howe will shoot him as a spy." 

67 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Long before daylight she was up and dressed. 

''I must go to Frankfort this morning, Wil- 
Uam," she said, "to get some flour. Do you 
stay here and look after the children." 

She had to get a pass to go through the 
British lines. 

"Who calls for this pass?" asked a British 
ofHcer. 

"LydiaDarrah." ' 

"Oh, yes. She lives across the street. She 
is all right. Let her have the pass." 

A little later Lydia Darrah started on her 
long tramp to the outposts of the patriot 
army. 

She was stopped by a sentinel, who asked 
her what she wanted. 

"I must see an officer. Tell me where I 
shall go. I have an important message." 

The picket sent her to Colonel Craig. She 
quickly told her story. 

" Get word to General Washington at once," 
she begged him. "Keep my name a secret. 
I must hurry back to the city." 

68 



LYDIA DARRAH OUTWITS THE BRITISH 

'^General Washington shall have your mes- 
sage at once, my good woman." 

The young Quaker woman hurried to the 
mill. With a bag of flour on her shoulder she 
tramped back to her home. 

Late that evening a large force of British 
soldiers marched quietly out of Philadelphia. 
From her chamber window Lydia Darrah 
watched the redcoats as they went silently 
past her house. 

''If I only knew whether General Washing- 
ton got my message ! " 

Washington had received the message and 
had acted. When the British drew near 
Whitmarsh, they found the patriot army 
ready to meet them. 

There was some marching to and fro and 
a bit of fighting; but, as Washington wrote 
to Congress, ''On the following Monday the 
British decamped very hastily and marched 
back to Philadelphia." 

With fear and trembling Lydia Darrah 
went about her housework. 

69 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

After a while her lodger came back. 

''I wish to see you for a few moments, 
Lydia." 

Her heart was beating fast. 

"Were any of your people out of bed the 
night my friends came here?" 

"No, indeed, sir," replied Lydia. "You 
told me to have all my folks in bed early, and 
I carried out your orders." 

The British officer seemed puzzled. 

"It is really very strange, and yet you were 
sound asleep ; I knocked on your door three 
times before you heard me." 

"Why do you ask me, sir? Was there any 
trouble?" 

"Trouble? I should say so. Washington, 
the sly old fox, found out our plan. He was 
ready to fight. We marched back like a par- 
cel of fools." 

It was a long time after the war was over 
before Lydia Darrah told her secret even to 
her best friends. 



70 



XIII 

THE HEROINE OF MONMOUTH 

WE have just read that in 1777 the 
British entered Philadelphia, where 
they spent the winter in ease and 
comfort, while Washington and his ragged 
Continentals were nearly frozen and starved 
at Valley Forge. 

In the spring of 1778 the French sent ships, 
soldiers, and money. This help came at 
just the right time. Perhaps the patriots 
could not have won without it. 

Sir Henry Clinton was now in command 
of the British. Fearing the approach of the 
French fleet, he made up his mind to leave 
Philadelphia and retreat to New York. 

Washington sent troops in pursuit, under 
General Charles Lee. The patriots, ready 
and eager to fight, overtook the enemy at 

71 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Monmouth, in New Jersey, and began a battle. 
But Lee, who was little better than a traitor, 
ordered his men to retreat. 

When Washington advanced with the main 
army, he was filled with surprise and anger 
to learn what Lee had done. He set spurs 
to his horse and galloped to the front. 

''What is the meaning of all this, sir?" he 
demanded. 

''Sir, sir," stammered General Lee. 

Sending the treacherous officer to the rear, 
Washington took command and advanced 
against the enemy. 

This was the battle of Monmouth. It was 
fought on a sultry day in June. The patriots 
threw off their coats, and rolled up their 
sleeves, but the British fought in their woolen 
uniforms. The heat was so great that many 
soldiers on both sides died. 

In the patriot army at the battle of Mon- 
mouth there was a gunner named Hays. 
Mollie Hays, his wife, was red-haired, freckle- 
faced, and strong. She had grown up on a 

72 



THE HEROINE OF MONMOUTH 

farm, where she milked the cows and worked 
in the fields. When the war broke out, the 
people could talk of nothing else. 

''I'm proud to be a soldier's wife," said 
Mollie Hays. ''I'm not going to stay at 
home. I 'm going to war, and fight if I can 
get a chance." 

At this time the soldiers' wives sometimes 
went with the army. They did not often en- 
list as soldiers, but used to wash and mend 
clothes, and cook and care for the sick and 
wounded. 

Mollie followed her husband on his marches, 
and sometimes even went into battle. She 
usually dressed in skirts, with a soldier's 
coat over them. She wore a cocked hat, 
with feathers in it. She looked almost as 
much like a man as any of the soldiers. 

Mollie soon had a chance to show what she 
could do. After the battle of Princeton she 
picked up a wounded soldier and carried him 
two miles to a farmhouse. 

At another time the redcoats scaled the 
73 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

walls of Fort Putnam, on the Hudson River. 
MoUie's husband dropped his match and ran. 
Mollie caught it up, touched off the cannon, 
and hurried away. This was the last gun 
fired in defense of the fort. 

At the battle of Monmouth the brave 
woman had a busy day. Not far from the 
battlefield was a spring. Sometimes under 
shelter, sometimes under fire, she went to 
and fro, carrying water for the thirsty and 
wounded soldiers. 

The water was also used in wetting the 
sponges to swab out the cannon. 

''Here comes Mollie with her pitcher," 
shouted one of the men, and since that time 
she has been known as Mollie Pitcher. 

On one of her trips to the spring Mollie 
saw her husband shot down beside his cannon. 

''Wheel that cannon back out of the way," 
ordered General Knox. 

"No, no," shouted Mollie; "I will fire it." 

She dropped her pail of water, seized the 
rammer, and began to load the gun. In a 

74 




She dropped her pail of water, seized th 



;^ 1 T u'''' **'*' rammer, and began 
to load the gun. * 



Page 74. 



THE HEROINE OF MONMOUTH 

few moments it was plain that she could take 
her husband's place. 

Years afterwards old soldiers used to tell 
how Mollie Pitcher stood beside her cannon, 
her eyes like fire, her red hair flying in the 
wind, her face grim with dust and powder, 
firing shot after shot until night, when the 
British stole away. 

Mollie Pitcher's bravery was not forgotten. 
General Greene thanked her in the name of 
the army. Washington gave her a sergeant's 
commission. Lafayette called her the Cap- 
tain, and invited her to review the troops. 
Congress placed her name on the list of 
officers receiving half pay. 

Mollie Pitcher stayed in the army until 
the end of the war. She cooked and washed 
for the soldiers in the little town of CarHsle, 
in Pennsylvania. 

A short time before Washington died, he 
passed through this place. The great man 
greeted the brave woman, and asked her to 
tell him the story of her life in the army. 

75 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Mollie Pitcher lived to a good old age. 
When she died, she was buried with military 
honors. 

On her grave, in the old cemetery at Car- 
lisle, a monument is inscribed to the memory 
of "Molhe Pitcher, the heroine of Mon- 
mouth." 

In the town of Freehold, in New Jersey, 
near the field of Monmouth, stands a monu- 
ment to mark the battle. The heroine of 
the battle, bare-footed, is shown loading a 
cannon, while beside it her husband hes dead. 



76 



XIV 

JOHN PAUL JONES AND HIS FLAG 

ON the fourteenth of June, 1777, the 
Continental Congress voted, "That 
the flag of the thirteen United States 
be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white ; 
that the union be thirteen stars, white in a 
blue field, representing a new constellation." 

Soon after this General Washington, Robert 
Morris, and George Ross called on Betsy 
Ross, a seamstress in Philadelphia. She was 
noted for her fine needlework, and they 
wished her to make a sample flag for the 
nation. She made such a beautiful flag 
that she was engaged to make all the flags 
used by the government. The little brick 
house in Arch Street, where she lived and 
made the flags, is still standing. Many 
people visit this spot every year. 

77 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

The national flag is called the Stars and 
Stripes. It is sometimes called Old Glory. 

The Stars and Stripes was raised for the 
first time on the sixth of August, 1777. This 
was a rude flag made hastily out of a white 
shirt, a blue jacket, and a red petticoat. It 
was raised at Fort Stanwix, in New York, 
to celebrate a victory over the enemy. 

It is said that the first Stars and Stripes 
used in the navy was raised by John Paul 
Jones. 

On the same day that the Continental 
Congress voted to have a new flag for the 
new nation, it passed the following resolution 
also: '' Resolved that Captain John Paul 
Jones be appointed to the ship Ranger." 

''The flag and I are twins; we were born 
on the same day," said the young officer. 

John Paul Jones was born in Scotland. He 
was the son of a poor gardener. From 
earliest childhood he loved the water. When 
only twelve years old, he went to sea. 

He began his service for the United States 
78 



JOHN PAUL JONES AND HIS FLAG 

as an officer on the Alfred, the flagship of 
our Httle navy. It is said that on this vessel 
he raised with his own hand the original flag 
of the Revolution. This was the pine-tree 
flag. 

John Paul Jones was soon made a captain. 

When he came to Portsmouth, in New 
Hampshire, to take command of the little 
warship Ranger, he found that she had no 
flag. 

"This will never do," he said. '^Of course 
the Ranger must have the new flag." 

Now it seems that a group of girls in Ports- 
mouth were planning to have a quilting party. 
Captain Jones was invited to the party. 

"I am under orders to sail in a few days," 
he said to the young women. "The Ranger 
must have a flag. I am going to fight on the 
high seas. Will you help me ? " 

"Yes, indeed, Captain Jones," answered 
Patience Bartlett, a leader among the girls. 
"We will do our best to help you. We have 
heard of your brave deeds along the coast. 

79 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

You have won the personal regard of General 
Washington himself." 

These Portsmouth girls were much in 
earnest and very patriotic. As the story is 
told, they made the flag from their best silk 
gowns, red, white, and blue. When the flag 
was finished, they went to the ship to present 
it to the gallant young captain. 

''Hip, hip, hurrah!" they shouted, as the 
flag was raised to the breeze. 

On the first day of November, with the silk 
flag flying at her masthead, the Ranger sailed 
for the coast of Great Britain. 

Captain Jones was anxious to see how his 
ship would behave when she met a British 
man-of-war. He soon found out. In the 
summer of 1778 she had a fight with the Drake, 
a British sloop of war. For the first time a 
British warship struck her flag to the Stars 
and Stripes. 

Captain Jones's exploits abroad won him 
great renown in the United States. He was 
put in command of a much larger ship, fur- 

80 



JOHN PAUL JONES AND HIS FLAG 

nished by the French government. The 
name of this ship he changed to Bon Homme 
Richard, in honor of Benjamin Franklin, 
who had written '^Poor Richard's Almanac." 
The same silk flag was flung to the breeze. 

In August, 1779, the famous battle took 
place between the Bon Homme Richard and 
the British frigate Serapis. 

This was one of the most desperate sea 
fights ever known in naval history. It ended 
in the surrender of the Serapis, but the Bon 
Homme Richard was a wreck. Captain Jones 
left her and took his men on board the 
British warship. The next day his gallant 
old vessel sank, carrying with her the Ports- 
mouth flag. 

For this victory Captain Jones was honored 
in France and at home. 

In due time he came back to America. He 
met one of the young women who had helped 
to make his silk flag. 

"My dear young lady," he said, "I longed 
to bring back home to you the beautiful 

81 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

flag you gave me four years ago, but I could 
not bear to take it from the sinking ship." 
In his diary our gallant hero of twenty- 
four naval battles described the last moments 
of the Bon Homme Richard and her little 
silk flag that had never known defeat : 

" No one was now left aboard the Richard but her 
dead. To them I gave the good old ship for their coffin. 
In her they found a subhme burial place. She rolled 
heavily in the long swell, settled slowly by the head, 
and sank peacefully in about forty fathoms. Our torn 
and tattered flag was left flying when we left her. As 
she plunged down by the head, at the last, the rail 
across the stern rose in the air ; so the very last thing 
mortal eyes ever saw of the Bon Homme Richard was 
the defiant waving of her unconquered and unstricken 
flag as she went down." 



82 



XV 

BRAVE POLLY MERRILL 

IT was in August, in the year 1780. Affairs 
had gone from bad to worse in the South. 
The British overran South CaroHna and 
Georgia. CornwalHs, the British commander, 
ordered Tarleton and Ferguson to enUst 
soldiers among the Tories. 

At this time there Hved in North CaroHna, 
on a plantation, Richard and Abigail Merrill. 
They had three children. Polly was sixteen 
years old, Abigail fourteen, and Peter about 
three. 

Mr. and Mrs. Merrill were just starting 
on horseback to do a bit of business a few 
miles from their home. 

''Take good care of Peter," said Mr. 
Merrill to Abigail; ''see that he does not 
get into trouble. I 'm sure there are no 
Tories to do you any harm." 

83 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

"And Polly dear," said Mrs. Merrill, 
"about ten o'clock don't forget to bake the 
bread." 

Off rode the father and mother, leaving the 
three children alone. The trip was short, and 
they expected to get back before night. 

The girls were busy at work. Polly made 
the bread while Abigail was playing with 
Peter on the front porch. 

Suddenly Abigail came running into the 
house with Peter in her arms. 

"Oh, Polly!" she said; "just look out 
of the front window. Down by the river 
road I saw some men riding this way. I 'm 
sure they are Tories. What shall we do?" 

The girls knew that their father had been 
paid some money a few days before, and that 
the pieces of gold had been put in a big wallet 
and locked up in a bureau drawer. 

In a few moments the tramp of horses' 
feet and the sharp order of an officer were 
heard. A band of Tories came riding up 
the hill near the house. 

84 



BRAVE POLLY MERRILL 

''Run quick, Abigail," cried Polly; "get 
the key to the bureau and bring me the 
wallet. I '11 hide it somewhere." 

It took only a moment for Abigail to un- 
lock the bureau drawer and bring the wallet 
to Polly. 

*'I know what I'll do," said Polly, as she 
took a quick look at the bread ready for the 
oven. ''Perhaps I can save the money. 
I '11 try it." 

Quick as a flash she put a little dough into 
a pan, and poured in the pieces of gold. 
She then covered the money with dough, and 
pushed the pan into the brick oven. 

"You have done it this time," laughed 
Abigail. "Not even a Tory will look in 
there for money." 

"Don't be too sure, Abigail. Hurry now. 
Put the wallet back in the bureau drawer, and 
then go out on the porch and play with Peter." 

Captain Mott took off his hat and bowed 
politely to the girls. 

"Don't be afraid, girls. We met your 
85 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

father down the road. He told us to stop 
here and get the money which he received 
last week. He told us where he kept it. 
Be quick, and get it for us, for we must 
hurry along." 

Polly kept cool and stood her ground. 

''My father would never give you the 
money, and I 'm sure I shall not." 

''Then I will look for it until I find it." 

With some angry words Captain Mott 
stepped into the bedroom, and began to 
ransack the bureau drawers. 

In her haste Abigail had left the wallet in 
plain sight. When Captain Mott seized it, 
two or three coins rolled out and fell on 
the floor. 

Peter had followed into the room. He 
ran and picked up the pieces of gold and gave 
them to the officer. 

"Pretty money," said the Uttle boy. 
"More in fower." 

Polly's heart beat fast as she listened to 
her little brother's childish talk. 

86 



BRAVE POLLY MERRILL 

"He must have seen me hide the gold in 
the pan of dough. The secret is out. The 
Tories will surely find the money." 

Captain Mott laughed. " Good enough, my 
little boy. Children and fools tell the truth. 
Come with me, and show me where your 
father buried the pretty money in the flowers." 

Peter took the officer's hand, and led the 
way into the flower garden. 

The officer set his men to digging up the 
shrubs and rosebushes. 

With her eyes big as saucers Polly watched 
the men digging in the garden. Suddenly 
she knew what Peter meant. A few days 
before, a pet rabbit of the family had died, 
and the girls had buried it in a box in the 
garden. 

After a while one of the soldiers struck 
his shovel against something hard. With 
a shout he pulled from the ground the box 
that held the rabbit's dead body. 

'^You have done well," cried Captain Mott. 
''Bring that box to me." 

87 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

In another moment one of the officers rode 
in great haste into the yard shouting, "To 
horse, to horse ! Marion's men are after us, 
not a mile away." 

A few minutes more, and Captain Mott 
and his Tories were riding away as fast as 
they could go. 

Polly laughed till she cried. 

''They will surely come back as soon as 
they find they have been made fools of. 
Let me think what I can do." 

She fastened the door with the oak bar. 
She took down her father's long rifle. She 
was now ready to fight. 

Suddenly there was a clatter of horses' 
shoes on the rocky road. 

''Hollo, Neighbor Merrill; open the door 
and let us in," somebody shouted. 

Laughing and crying by turns, the two girls 
opened the door to a party of sturdy pa- 
triots. 

"You are brave and sensible girls," said 
the leader. " You outwitted the rascals. 

88 



BRAVE POLLY MERRILL 

They won't come back. They did not want 
to fight. They only wanted to steal." 

What a merry time it was that evening 
when Mr. and Mrs. Merrill came home ! 

''I burned the bread," said Polly, ''but 
the money is safe." 



89 



XVI 

AKNOLD THE PATRIOT 

BENEDICT ARNOLD was one of the 
bravest soldiers in the War of the 
Revolution. He was always ready to 
face any danger, or to do anything that Gen- 
eral Washington wished to have done. 

When Arnold received news of the battle 
of Lexington, he led a company of soldiers to 
Cambridge, and offered his services. He was 
made a colonel, and was sent to enlist soldiers 
in western Massachusetts. 

In the summer of 1775 he was chosen by 
Washington to lead an expedition against 
Quebec. 

''An attack on Canada is necessary," 

Washington said; "otherwise the enemy will 

invade the colonies through the valley of the 

Saint Lawrence River." 

This ill-fated expedition began in Septem- 

90 



ARNOLD THE PATRIOT 

ber, and lasted till May. Arnold and his men 
were nearly two months in getting to Quebec. 

It was a fearful march. They had to cut 
their way through the forests. They often 
had to drag their boats through the shallow 
water, or carry them round the rapids. Some- 
times they were wet to the skin, and slept in 
uniforms that were frozen stiff even in front 
of their camp fires. 

Two companies got lost, and waded ten 
miles in a great swamp. They reached a 
hillock after dark, and stood up all night to 
keep from freezing. Every man was for him- 
self in the struggle for life. The strong did 
not stop to help the weak, fearing to perish. 
f Their food gave out. They then chewed 
their shot pouches. They ate the faithful 
dogs that had followed them. 

Captain Dearborn told how sad he was to 
kill his fine Newfoundland dog. ''We even 
pounded up the dog's bones and made broth 
for another meal." 

''Alas, alas, these horrid spectacles !" wrote 
91 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

another soldier; '^my heart sickens at the 
recollection." 

Arnold saw that his men must have food. 
He now did one of those heroic and reckless 
deeds for which he was noted. Perhaps no 
other man in the army would have dared to 
do it. In frail canoes, without a guide, he 
and a few chosen companions started for a 
French village sixty miles down the swift 
Chaudiere River. 

At one place they went over a fall, and their 
canoes were upset. They swam ashore. 

The last twenty miles of the way they 
tramped through a forest. They reached the 
village in the evening of the second day. 

Long before daybreak, with a relief party 
of French Canadians, Arnold was on his way 
back to his starving men. 

In November the patriots reached Point 
Levi, a little French village opposite Quebec. 

Arnold had planned to capture the fortress 
at one stroke. But some Indians told the 
British that he was coming. 

92 



ARNOLD THE PATRIOT 

Finally, at midnight on the last day of 1775, 
during a driving snow-storm, Arnold led the 
attack. A musket ball shattered his leg, and 
stretched him bleeding in the snow. He was 
carried to the rear. The attack failed. 

In a month Arnold was out of doors. He 
hobbled about on crutches, but was as hope- 
ful as ever. 

Washington sent orders to him to stand his 
ground, saying, "The glorious work must be 
accomplished this winter." 

But in May three British men-of-war forced 
their way up the Saint Lawrence River, and 
saved the city. The great bell in the ca- 
thedral clanged the death knell to Arnold's 
hopes. 

In the summer of 1776 Arnold was appointed 
to build and command a fleet on Lake Cham- 
plain. Here he fought one of the most heroic 
naval battles in our history. The enemy had 
a fleet twice as large as his own, but he held 
his position until night. He then escaped 
with most of his boats and with all his men. 

93 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

In 1777 Congress promoted above him five 
officers who were below him in rank. 

This was due to jealousy. All these men 
put together had not done for their country 
a tenth part of what Arnold had done. In 
ability they were far below him. He had a 
right to feel slighted. 

Meanwhile Arnold's business was being 
ruined, and he needed funds. In the cam- 
paign against Quebec he had used a good deal 
of his own money, and given his pledge for 
more, to make the campaign a success. Con- 
gress was very slow in settling the accounts. 

Arnold would now have left the army, but 
Washington asked him to remain. The Brit- 
ish were already marching down the valley 
of the Saint Lawrence River. Washington 
had to request Congress again and again to 
send Arnold to meet the enemy. 

At last Arnold was put in command, and 
hurried to the north. In this campaign he 
saved his country. One army of the enemy 
he scattered in a panic. In the second battle 

94 



ARNOLD THE PATRIOT 

of Saratoga he took a brilliant part, and was 
severely wounded. General Gates was jeal- 
ous of him, and in this battle tried to keep 
him in the background. 

Congress now gave Arnold a vote of thanks 
and his proper rank in the army. 

Arnold's wound made him unfit for active 
service, and he was put in command of Phil- 
adelphia. 

Here he married a beautiful girl named 
Margaret Shippen. He now went into fash- 
ionable society, and lived beyond his means. 

His enemies again found fault with him. 
They made many foolish charges. They said 
that he misused his authority, and showecj 
favor to the Tories. 

Arnold asked to be tried. Nothing serious 
was found against him, but the court advised 
that he be reprimanded. Washington had 
to perform this disagreeable task. He did it 
in the gentlest way. In the next campaign 
he offered Arnold the post of honor. 

But the public disgrace which Arnold had 
95 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

received was too much for him to bear. He 
had fought heroically for his country, suffered 
wounds, and made many sacrifices. In anger 
and bitterness he now wanted revenge. 

What he did will be told you in the next 
story. 



96 



XVII 

ARNOLD THE TRAITOR 

WE have just read the story of Arnold 
the Patriot, and what he did to save 
his country. We are now to read 
the sad story of Arnold the Traitor, and what 
he did to betray the country for which he 
had fought. 

Benedict Arnold was a man of a proud and 
sensitive nature. He yielded quickly to feel- 
ings of affection or of anger. His manner was 
such that he aroused jealousy, and this caused 
him to have enemies. 

As a soldier and commander, he had few 
equals. Washington knew him as a man, 
saw his military ability, and put the greatest 
trust in him. 

Arnold's enemies had done everything they 
could to injure him. At last he sought to 
revenge himself on them by betraying his 
country. 

97 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Arnold seems to have thought that he 
might be doing a good thing. The outlook 
of the colonies was bad. Even Washington 
nearly lost hope. The soldiers were unpaid 
and unclothed, and were deserting fast. Many 
citizens washed to see the end of the bloodshed 
and misery. Many of them thought, too, 
that they should be much better off under 
British rule. 

''If I can end the war at one blow," Arnold 
thought, "peace and prosperity will be re- 
stored. Both sides will thank me, and we 
shall be really independent." 

With this end in view he pleaded that he 
was not able to fight. He asked Washington 
for the command of West Point, on the Hud- 
son River. This fortress, with its store of 
military supplies, was the key to the whole 
region. If the colonies lost West Point, they 
could hardly hold out. 

Washington yielded to Arnold's request. 

Letters now began to pass between Arnold 
and Sir Henry Clinton, commander in chief 

98 



ARNOLD THE TRAITOR 

of the British forces. At last Sir Henry sent 
Major John Andre to meet Arnold and talk 
things over. 

- Andre went up the Hudson River in the 
British warship Vulture. In the darkness of 
the night a boat came silently from the west 
bank of the river, and carried the young officer 
to a spot a few miles below West Point. Here 
Andre met Arnold. 

Meanwhile the Vulture dropped down the 
river. 

Before daybreak Andre crossed the river, 
and set out on horseback for New York. He 
would have to go through the American lines, 
but he had a pass from Arnold. He had 
taken off his uniform and put on a plain suit 
of clothes. He called himself Mr. John An- 
derson. 

When the guards stopped him, he showed 
his pass. 

All went well until he came near Tarry town. 

It was about nine o'clock. Suddenly three 
young men sprang from the bushes, leveled 

99 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

their guns at him, and ordered him to halt. 
One of them happened to have on the coat 
of a British soldier whom he had captured. 

''Gentlemen," said Andre, ''I hope you be- 
long to our side." 

''Which side?" said one of them. 

"The lower party," answered Andre. "I 
am a British officer on urgent duty. Do not 
detain me. I must hurry to New York." 

The three patriots ordered him off his horse. 

Andre saw his mistake. He showed them 
his pass, but they said they must search him. 

They examined his saddle. They took off 
his coat and vest. Finding nothing, they were 
about to let him go, when one of them, named 
Paulding, said, "Boys, I am not satisfied; his 
boots must come off." 

Andre objected. "My boots are very 
tight," he said. "I must not be detained; 
you '11 suffer yet for what you are doing." 

But off came the boots, and out came some 
fatal papers. 

"Boys, this fine fellow is a spy," cried Paul-' 
100 




Gentlemen," said Andre, "I hope you belong to our sidf 
Page 100. 



ARNOLD THE TRAITOR 

ding, who was the only one of the three who 
could read. 

Andre offered his captors his splendid gold 
watch, his horse, and a thousand dollars in 
gold if they would let him go. 

The three soldiers refused to be bribed. 
Believing their captive to be a spy, they took 
him twelve miles up the river to their com- 
mander. Colonel Jameson. 

This officer now made a blunder. He sent 
a messenger to Arnold, saying that a certain 
John Anderson had been arrested. 

The messenger found Arnold at breakfast, 
with several officers as his guests. His beauti- 
ful young wife was presiding at the table. 

Arnold, concealing his terror, left the table 
and hurried to his bedroom. 

"I am a ruined man. I must fly for my 
life," he cried to his fainting wife, who had 
hurried after him. 

He seized a horse, galloped to the river, 
and urged some boatmen to row him to the 
Vulture. 

101 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

General Washington was soon informed of 
what had happened. When Arnold's papers 
were shown to him, his hand shook. He was 
overcome with amazement and sorrow. 

Turning to Lafayette, with tears rolUng 
down his cheeks, and choking with grief, he 
cried out, "Arnold is a traitor, and has fled to 
the British. Whom can we trust now?" 

It was only for a moment. The next in- 
stant he had recovered his iron self-control. 

The three faithful men who captured Andre 
were highly honored. Each received a silver 
medal from Congress, with a pension for life. 

Major Andre was tried, and condemned to 
death as a spy. 

Washington shed tears when he signed the 
death warrant. He would gladly have saved 
the young officer's life, but the stern rules of 
war left no room for mercy. 

A few months after Arnold turned traitor, 
he was sent by Sir Henry Clinton to sack and 
plunder in Virginia. In one of these raids he 
captured an olSicer of the colonial army. 

102 



ARNOLD THE TRAITOR 

"What will your people do with me if they 
catch me?" Arnold asked. 

"They will cut off your leg that was shot 
at Quebec and Saratoga, and bury it with the 
honors of war. The rest of your body they 
will hang." 

Arnold lived for twenty years after his trea- 
son. They were years of bitter remorse. 

During his last sickness he recalled the days 
when he had fought bravely for his native land. 
He thought of the friendship that Washington 
had had for him. After the battle of Saratoga 
this friend had presented him with epaulettes 
and a sword knot, and put them on with his 
own hand. 

The old uniform in which Arnold had fought 
his battles, and which he wore on the day he 
escaped to the Vulture, he had kept during all 
these years of disgrace. 

Just before his death the desolate man called 
for these sad reminders, and put them on 
again. 

"Let me die in this old uniform in which I 
103 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

fought SO many battles for my country. May 
God forgive me for ever putting on any other." 

Thus died Benedict Arnold. 

With the exception of Washington and 
Greene, he had done perhaps greater service in 
fighting for his country than any other Ameri- 
can general. This unhappy man, greatly 
wronged and greatly tempted, deserves much 
more pity than blame. 



104 



XVIII 

NANCY CAMPBELL TURNS SOLDIER 

THE Campbell plantation, in South 
Carolina, was near the road over 
which Lord Cornwallis was marching 
to Yorktown. Mr. Campbell and his two 
sons were in the patriot army. Mrs. Camp- 
bell and her daughter Nancy were alone. 

It was a bright day in June, in the year 
1781. Early in the morning Nancy had seen 
a force of Hessians and Tories going by to 
join the British army. 

''Nancy," said her mother, ^'I am afraid 
that Goody Merrill is in need of food. She 
has hardly been out of her house since 
Colonel Tarleton and his Tories killed her 
husband." 

''Why, mother dear, surely the Tories 
would do no harm to a poor woman." 

105 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

^'In these times nobody can tell what the 
enemy may do," answered her mother. "I 
wish you would carry this basket to the good 
woman. If you see any sign of danger, you can 
come home by the path through the woods." 

When Nancy had done her errand and was 
starting for home, it was late in the afternoon. 

''I am not so much afraid of meeting the 
Tories as I am of passing the old Danvers 
place," she said to herself. ''They tell 
strange stories about the deserted house. 
Nobody has lived there for a year, but Goody 
Merrill says that somebody spends the night 
there. Only last week, she said, strange 
lights were seen, and strange sounds were 
heard. I wonder if the old house is a meet- 
ing place for the Tories. But how silly it is 
for me to think of these foolish stories !" 

But when Nancy came in sight of the 
old deserted place, her heart began to beat 
faster. The house stood silent near the 
road. Behind it were deep woods. Stopping 
for a moment, the girl looked and listened. 

106 



NANCY CAMPBELL TURNS SOLDIER 

Suddenly she heard a strange noise. 

''What can it be?" she asked, frightened. 

She felt as if she wanted to run away. 
Then she crept nearer and nearer to the 
house. 

''Surely it isn't a cry for help. Why, 
somebody is singing." 

At first the words came loud and strong, 
and then soft and low. 

"I am going to find out what it is. Per- 
haps father ought to know. Why should n't 
I be brave and try to help?" 

She stole up, and from behind a tree 
looked in at a window. 

There, stretched on the floor, she saw a 
Hessian soldier. She looked at his great 
boots, with long spurs, his stout, stiff leather 
breeches, his hat with its tuft of gay feathers, 
and his great broadsword trailing on the 
floor. 

She caught her breath, but plucked up 
courage. 

"I 'm afraid the poor fellow is dead or 
107 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

badly wounded. No, that can't be, for 
he is breathing quietly. Oh, my ! There 's 
an empty bottle." 

She almost laughed aloud. 

''The idea of being afraid of a drunken 
Hessian ! What would my father think of 
me? How the boys would poke fun at me !" 

She hurried home. 

''Yes, I gave the food to Goody Merrill," 
she answered her mother. "She did n't have 
much else to eat." 

"Did the Tories bother the old lady this 
morning?" 

"No, mother. There was nothing for them 
to steal. Besides, they heard that our pa- 
trol was close on their heels. I left some- 
thing up the road. I 'm going back to get 
it. I shall not be gone long." 

"Keep a sharp lookout, won't you? It 
is not safe for you to be out late in these 
sad days." 

Nancy ran up to her brother's room. 
She slipped into a pair of his trousers, and 

108 



NANCY CAMPBELL TURNS SOLDIER 

put on an old hat and an old coat. After 
a look at herself in the mirror, she took an 
old musket and made her way out of the 
house by the back door. 

She found the Hessian asleep. 

Resting her gun on the frame of the open 
window, she shouted, ^'Surrender, you Hes- 
sian. Surrender, or I '11 shoot." 

The dazed soldier sat up, and saw the 
musket pointed at him. 

"Hand me your gun and sword, and be 
quick about it." 

He got up slowly and obeyed. 

"Now march." 

The Hessian walked out of the house 
and tramped along the road. Nancy kept 
a few steps behind him. 

"Dear me! what am I to do with him, 
now that I've got him?" she said to her- 
self. "I '11 march him home first. Perhaps 
mother will know." 

Suddenly she heard the call of a bugle, 
and the noise of horses' hoofs. 

109 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

''Oh, if it's Hessians or Tories, what 
shall I do?" 

''Why, Nancy, what have you there?" 

It was the voice of Joe Campbell, her 
brother. He was in command of a patrol. 

She quickly told her story, and handed 
her prisoner over to the soldiers. 

What the Hessian said when he found 
that he had been captured by a girl of six- 
teen will never be known. 

As for Nancy Campbell, the story of her 
bravery was told and retold long after the 
war was over. 



110 



XIX 

''the AMERICAN ARMY OF TWO" 

ON the coast of Massachusetts there is 
a Httle village called Scituate, with a 
small but good harbor. A hundred 
years or more ago the town was a great fish- 
ing place. During the late fall a hundred 
fishing vessels would often run into the harbor 
for shelter. 

On a sandy ridge not far from the village 
stood a lighthouse. The keeper was named 
Bates. He had two sons and two daughters. 
The girls used to tend the light. Rebecca 
was about seventeen. Abigail was about 
fifteen. 

One lovely morning in August, Rebecca 
and Abigail were busy filling the lamp with 
oil and polishing the great lantern. 

Rebecca happened to look out over the 
111 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

sparkling waters of the bay. She spied a 
vessel under full sail making for the shore. 
She seized the telescope and took one long 
look at the stranger. 

''I declare, Abigail, I believe that is a 
British warship." 

The frightened girls ran down the stairs 
of the lighthouse and across the yard into 
their cottage. 

''Where is father?" cried Rebecca. 

''He has just gone to the village to buy 
some meal. What is the matter, dear?" 

"Take the big glass, mother, and look 
out to the east. There is a warship mak- 
ing for our harbor." 

Mrs. Bates and the two girls hastened to 
the sand hill behind the lighthouse. 

"You are right, Rebecca. It is the British 
warship that Daniel Smith heard about last 
week in Boston. Have the boys run to the 
village and tell the folks." 

Of course the village people were much 
excited when the boys told them the news. 

112 



"the AMERICAN ARMY OF TWO'' 

''I can well believe it/' said one old fisher- 
man. ''Thirty-five years ago the British 
came ashore at the Vineyard, and burned 
the church and some houses." 

''If that British warship sails into our 
harbor," said another old sailor, who had 
fought under John Paul Jones, "she will 
perhaps sink every vessel in the harbor and 
burn every house in the village." 

The warship stood off to sea for several 
hours. At high tide it came and anchored 
about half a mile from the lighthouse. 

There was a lively time in the little village. 
All kinds of household goods were loaded 
into carts and taken behind the sand hills. 
The women and children with bundles of 
clothing ran for shelter into the neighbor- 
ing woods. 

Meanwhile Abigail and Rebecca were on 
the lookout from the tower of the lighthouse. 
They saw five boats nearing the shore. The 
boats were filled with soldiers dressed in red 
uniforms. 

113 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

''Dear me, Abigail," said Rebecca; "think 
of Uncle Abel, who fought behind the rail 
fence at Bunker Hill. I wish I were a big 
boy. I 'd get out father's old gun and do 
something." 

''I'll tell you what we can do, Rebecca. 
You know how to beat father's drum. I 
can play the fife. Let us go out and see if 
we cannot help. We can hide behind the 
sand hills and play Yankee Doodle." 

The excited girls hurried to the house. 
Rebecca got the drum and hid it under a 
shawl. Abigail took the fife. Away they 
ran for the outside beach. They crept through 
the tall beach grass behind the sand hills, to 
keep out of the sight of the British. They 
sat down for a moment to try the drum and 
softly play the fife. 

"Now, Rebecca," said Abigail, "we must 
do this thing right. We must march along 
the outside beach toward the lighthouse 
just as if we were marching with soldiers." 

"Yes, indeed," replied Rebecca. "Per- 
114 







\\/// 



Louder and louder now rolled the drum. 
PageUS. 



^'thE AMERICAN ARMY OF TWO" 

haps we can fool the redcoats. They may 
think it is a company of soldiers from Bos- 
ton." 

Rubadub, dub ! rubadub, dub ! beat Re- 
becca on the old drum. 

Squeak, squeak, squeak! went Abigail's 
fife. 

It seemed foolish to them. They stopped 
marching, and sat down in the beach grass 
to laugh. 

''This will never do," cried Rebecca. ''We 
shall spoil everything." 

"Let us try again," answered her sister. 
"I will do better the next time." 

Louder and louder now rolled the drum. 
Clearer and clearer whistled the fife. 

The officers on the warship were amazed 
at the sound of martial music. 

"I think, sir," said an under officer to the 
captain, "that it is a regiment of Yankee 
soldiers marching down to yonder point. 
If they have cannon with them, they can 
easily cut off our boats." 

115 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

''Of all tunes in the world," replied the 
captain, ''think of those saucy fellows play- 
ing Yankee Doodle. Be quick, men. Signal 
to the boats to return. We must get out of 
the harbor at once." 

In double-quick time the men in the five 
boats pulled away to the ship. They seemed 
to be afraid that the Yankees would sink 
them. 

That same night the British warship sailed 
away. Before sailing, the captain ran out a 
cannon and fired a shot at the lighthouse, but 
no harm was done. 

Rebecca and Abigail Bates lived to a good 
old age. When the school children asked 
them to write in their albums, the old ladies 
wrote their names and then added "The 
American Army of two, in the War of 1812." 



116 



XX 

KIND-HEARTED CAPTAIN DAN 

NEWBURYPORT, at the mouth of the 
Merrimac River, used to be a flour- 
ishing seaport. A few miles up the 
river, at a place called Salisbury Point, there 
were yards for building ships. 

One of the leading men in the village at 
Salisbury Point was Captain Daniel Currier. 

Dan Currier had passed his boyhood in 
Maine, in a log-cabin village on the banks 
of the Kennebec River. After the death 
of his father and mother he traveled on foot 
to Portland, where he shipped as cabin boy 
on a vessel bound for the West Indies. 

The young fellow soon became a good 
sailor. At nineteen he was first mate. At 
twenty-one he was captain. When the War 

117 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

of the Revolution began, he enhsted in the 
navy. He served as a petty officer under 
John Paul Jones, on board the Ranger. 

After the war Captain Currier went again 
into the merchant service. For many years 
he was master of the finest vessel that sailed 
from Newburyport to the West Indies. He 
was a skillful and thrifty captain. He made 
money for his owners and for himself. 

At the time of our story he had left off 
going to sea. Having always lived an active 
life, he now became a partner in one of the 
shipyards at the Point, and bought out a 
store on the wharf. He built a snug house, 
and married Huldah Merrill, a sweetheart of 
his early days. 

After the War of 1812 there were hard 
times along the coast. Day after day the 
ship builders were without work. They used 
to idle their time away in Captain Dan's 
store, where they talked over the news, or 
played checkers until they were tired and 
glad to go home. 

118 



KIND-HEARTED CAPTAIN DAN 

This was getting to be too much for the 
thrifty old sailor. 

''I tell you what, boys/' he said, ''this 
will never do for able-bodied fellows like you. 
You must go to work and support your wives 
and children. I declare, I have a mind to 
give you a job. I am planning to build a 
ship in the old yard east of the wharf. '^ 

This was good news. 

"All right, Captain Dan," spoke up Peter 
Smith ; '^give us a job. We are ready." 

''It 's just what we were waiting for," added 
Thomas Nickerson. 

"Very well, boys ; listen to me. I want to 
build a schooner for the West-India trade. I 
can build her cheap this winter. Besides, 
it will give you a chance to make some 
money." 

The captain was true to his word. 

All that winter the ship carpenters were as 
busy as bees. They hewed the timbers for 
the vessel, in the neighboring woods. With a 
kindly smile the old captain stood at a window 

119 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

in his store and watched the men laying the 
keel. In the spring, when the ice went out 
of the Merrimac, the schooner was ready to be 
framed and planked. Soon the masts were 
raised, and the lower spars were slung into 
place. The jib boom ran up into an old 
apple tree on the bank of the river. 

One morning the captain and his wife 
walked down to see the new schooner. 

''Why, look there, Daniel," cried Mrs. 
Currier; ''if that isn't a robin's nest right 
up there under the bowsprit ! Dear me ! 
the poor baby robins will be drowned when 
you launch the ship." 

"Chirp, chirp," cried the little robins when 
the mother bird began to feed them with a 
big, fat worm. 

A broad smile came over the face of the 
kind old sailor. 

"Well, if that ain't real pretty!" 

At last the vessel was ready to launch. 
People from the neighboring towns drove in 
to see the ship. They said she was a beauty. 

120 



KIND-HEARTED CAPTAIN DAN 

Of course everybody had something to say 
about the bird's nest. 

Some boys tried to get a look at the Httle 
robins. Captain Daniel said he would do 
all kinds of rash things if he caught any boys 
looking over the bowsprit. 

But the launching of the ship was delayed. 

The men at the Point began to talk. 

'^What is the matter with the Captain?" 
asked Jacob Snow of Joel Freeman. ''What 's 
he waiting for?" 

''The hot sun will soon crack the new 
paint," said the ship carpenters. 

"The rigging will slack if the schooner is 
to stay on the ways all summer," said the 
riggers. 

Of course the people in the village talked 
till they were tired. Some said that the dear 
old captain was a bit out of his head. 

One day Captain Daniel hurried into his 
house while Huldah was getting dinner. 

"Huldah, my dear, we are going to launch 
the schooner next week. The robins are 

121 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

ready to fly. I saw them just now. I have 
put the nest up in the old apple tree. The 
mother bird is on the lookout." 

'' Dear Dan ! How kind you are ! " 

The next day a painter came up from New- 
buryport and painted on the schooner the 
name Huldah Currier. A little above the 
name somebody painted a nest with four 
little robins in it. 

Of course everybody in the village smiled 
at Captain Dan. 

The mother bird and her little ones sat on a 
limb of the apple tree and sang their loudest 
when the vessel slid into the Merrimac. At 
least that is what the captain told his wife. 

A few weeks later the Huldah Currier sailed 
on her first trip to the West Indies. 

''She will be a lucky vessel," everybody 
said. 

Indeed she was. She sailed the seas for 
many years. The kind act of the tender- 
hearted old sailor brought a blessing to him 
and his wife, and to their children after them. 

122 



XXI 

DANIEL WEBSTER AND THE WOODCHUCK 

DANIEL WEBSTER was a great orator, 
and won fame for himself and his coun- 
try. As a boy, he read many books, 
and made good use of what he read. He was 
often asked for a speech on the Fourth of July 
and other occasions. His fine figure, his large 
dark eyes, and his impressive words gave him 
great power. 

Daniel Webster's father. Captain Webster, 
had been an officer in the Revolution. After 
the war the old soldier bought a farm in a 
little frontier town in New Hampshire. His 
two sons, Ezekiel and Daniel, worked on the 
farm. 

Near the house was a fine garden, of which 
Captain Webster was proud. But all at once a 
woodchuck began to tear up the vegetables 
and eat them. 

123 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

''This will never do, boys," said Captain 
Webster one day. ''If this woodchuck keeps 
this up, we shall have no vegetables next 
winter. Get the steel trap out, and see if 
you cannot catch the thief." 

When night came, the boys set the trap. 

The next morning they found the wood- 
chuck caught by one of his legs. 

"Now, Mr. Woodchuck," said Ezekiel, 
"we have caught you. You have eaten 
your last bite out of our garden. You are a 
big thief, and you know it. We are going to 
make an end of you." 

"Don't do any such thing, Ezekiel," cried 
Daniel, who always had a tender feeling for 
animals. "The poor fellow has eaten only a 
bit of the green stuff." 

"No, Dan, I'm going to kill the rascal. 
You are too tender-hearted about this thief 
of a woodchuck." 

The two boys could not agree. So they 
took the woodchuck in the trap to their 
father, and asked him what they should do. 

124 



DANIEL WEBSTER AND THE WOODCHUCK 

"We cannot agree," said Ezekiel. ''Dan 
says we must not kill this bold thief. I say 
we must kill him, and save our vegetables 
for the winter." 

''Well, boys," said Captain Webster, "the 
woodchuck is the prisoner. Leave him in 
the trap, and put him on the grass. I will 
sit here on the front porch and act as judge. 
You, Ezekiel, may serve as the lawyer against 
the prisoner. You, Daniel, may be the lawyer 
to defend him." 

Ezekiel began his plea. 

"Just think of the harm this woodchuck 
has done. Think of the beans he has torn 
up. What shall we do next winter if we let 
the thief go free? He will keep coming, and 
will eat many good meals at our expense. 
We have already had too much trouble with 
him. No, indeed, the prisoner in that trap 
is a dangerous fellow. He must die for the 
harm he has done. We will sell his skin to a 
trader in Concord." 

Captain Webster now turned to his younger 
125 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

son and said, ''Well, Daniel, it is your turn. 
I will listen to what you have to say in defense 
of the prisoner." 

During all his life Daniel Webster dearly 
loved and admired his brother. He now 
thought that Ezekiel had won his case. But 
he took a quick look at the poor woodchuck, 
and felt very sorry for him. 

With his deep black eyes fixed on his father's 
face, the lad began with trembling voice 
his plea for mercy. 

''Ezekiel has done well. But he forgets 
some things. I say that this woodchuck has 
as much right to live as we have. God made 
him to Hve a free life in the fields and in the 
woods. He is not a cruel animal like the 
wolf, or sly like the fox. He harms nobody. 

"What has this poor creature done? 

"Surely it is not a crime to eat the beans, 
of which we have plenty. He eats just 
enough to keep him alive. He knows no 
better. He has broken no laws. This poor 
animal does not know the difference between 

126 



DANIEL WEBSTER AND THE WOODCHUCK 

right and wrong. He has simply followed 
his own nature. 

''Look at the poor creature all of a tremble. 
Perhaps he thinks as much of his life as we 
do of our own. God gave him his life. How 
dare we to take it from him? We never 
can give it back to him. Let us show him 
mercy, that we may hope for mercy our- 
selves." 

Tears were running down Dan's face, and 
his eyes shone like fire. 

Captain Webster, who had fought in many 
battles under General Washington, gave way 
to tears too. The old gentleman had for- 
gotten that he was the judge. He sprang 
from his chair and shouted, ''Zeke, Zeke, 
let that woodchuck go." 



127 



XXII 

TAD LINCOLN 

WHILE Abraham Lincoln was president 
of the United States, the Civil War 
broke out. In the terrible years 
that followed he was filled with care and 
anxiety to help the people of both North and 
South, and to save the Union. 

In his own family he had sorrow too. Be- 
fore he had left his home in Illinois, his eldest 
son, Edward, died. The death in the White 
House, of William, the second son, filled the 
father's life with sadness. 

Robert, the third son, was now away at 
college. 

The fourth son, Thomas, nicknamed Tad, 
was the only child left at home. The great 
President and his Httle boy were playfellows. 
We are told that the only time the care-worn 
father ever seemed happy was when he was 

128 



TAD LINCOLN 

ith Tad, sometimes racing with him through 
e great rooms of the White House, or 
Trying him on his back. 
Tad was often present when the great men 
.me to talk over war news with the Presi- 
mt. Sometimes he would play about the 
lom until he fell asleep, or would climb 
to his father's arms to take a nap. 
President Lincoln used to call Tad the 
Tant of the White House. The callers 
sed to pet the lad, and men of high rank 
ould give him all sorts of gifts. It was 
lOUgh to spoil anybody. 
Once a visitor gave him a box of tools. 
The boy at once began to use them about 
le kitchen and the stables, and in some of 
le rooms of the White House. He drove 
lils into a mahogany desk. He made a 
irpenter shop of the room in which his 
.ther slept. 

One day when the President was very busy 
L his office, the bells in one of the outer rooms 
3gan to ring like mad. 
129 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

''The President never rang like that be- 
fore/' said a secretary. 

He ran to the President's room, only to 
find other persons rushing through the halls. 
Up came a messenger from downstairs, all 
out of breath. Every bell in the White House 
seemed anxious to outring the others. The 
officials about the mansion seemed amazed 
at the hubbub. 

President Lincoln opened the door of his 
room and said quietly, ''Perhaps you had 
better look for Tadpole." 

An old negro servant took the hint. He 
climbed to the attic. There he found Tad 
pulling at the yoke which connected all the 
bells of the White House. Tad gave the 
yoke one final pull and ran down to his 
father's room. 

A few days later some fine ladies came to 
see the White House. They walked slowly 
through the rooms open to the public. At 
last they were ready to admire the famous 
East Room. All of a sudden the door at the 

130 



TAD LINCOLN 

end of the great hall was flung open. The 
dignified ladies stood amazed. 

There was Tad, yelling at the top of his voice, 
swinging a long whip, and driving a pair of 
goats hitched to one of the dining-room chairs. 

^'Look out there, please," he shouted as he 
drove his team round the big room, through 
the hall, and down the front steps of the 
White House. 

This was too much for the visitors. They 
made a hasty retreat. 

When the President's work of the day was 
nearly over, and before he began the toil of 
the night, he would send for the boy. Fre- 
quently Tad fell asleep in the office, and then 
his father would carry him tenderly across 
the hall to bed. 

One Friday the President had a meeting 
with Secretary Chase. Tad was sticking 
pins into a chart, making a war map. The 
wind was blowing from the Virginia side of 
the Potomac. It brought through the win- 
dows the sound of guns. 

131 



LOG CABIN DAYS 

Lincoln rose, walked across the room, and 
stood gazing at the Virginia hills, with his 
arm about Tad's shoulders. When he came 
back to his chair, there were tears in his 
eyes. 

"This is Friday, the day when they shoot 
deserters," he said. '^I am wondering 
whether I have used the pardoning power 
enough. Some of the officers say I am 
using it so freely that I am demoralizing the 
army and destroying the discipline." 

Then, as Tad climbed to his knee, the Presi- 
dent added, ''But Tad here tells me I 'm 
doing right, and Tad's advice is usually 
pretty good." 

At last the cruel war was over; 

Then all at once an awful deed was done. 
President Lincoln was shot as he sat in his 
box at a theater. 

Tad and his tutor were at some place of 
amusement. Word was sent to the tutor 
that the President was ill. 

Tom Pendell, a member of the President's 
132 



TAD LINCOLN 

body guard, stood at the entrance of the 
White House to receive the boy. 

The Uttle fellow seemed to know that some- 
thing dreadful had happened to his father. 
He came running up the steps, sobbing as if 
his heart would break. 

He threw himself into the arms of the old 
doorkeeper, and cried out, ''Oh, Tom Pendell ! 
have they killed my papa? " 

The faithful doorkeeper carried the weep- 
ing boy upstairs, undressed him, and put 
him to bed. 

Early the next morning Tad looked out of 
his window and watched the crowd of weep- 
ing men and women in the street. He spied 
the Secretary of the Navy coming into the 
White House. 

Hurrying down the stairs, he ran to meet 
him. ''Oh, Mr. Welles," he cried, "who 
killed my papa? Why did he have to die ? " 

Only a few years passed away, and the boy 
who had been such a joy and comfort to his 
father went to join him in the better land. 

133 



PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES 



Abel, a'bl 
Abigail, ab'i-gdl 
Abraham, a'bra-ham 
Africa, af'ri-ka 
Alfred, al'Jred 
Andre, dn'drd (a as in arm) 
Arnold, dr'nold (a as in arm) 
America, a-mer'i-ka 
Asia, a'sha 

B 

Balboa, hal-bo'a 

Barbara, bar'ba-ra 

Bartlett, bart'let 

Benedict, hen'e-dict 

Benjamin, ben'ja-min 

Bon Homme Richard, bo-nom' 

re-shdr' (o as in obey; d as in 

arm) 
Bouquet, hoo-M' 
Brandywine, bran'di-voln 
Brewster, broo'ster 
Britain, brit'n 
Bunker, bungk'er 



Caesar, see'zar 
Cambridge, kdm'brij 
Campbell, kam'bl 



Canada, han'a-da 
Canadian, ka-nd'di-an 
Carolina, kdr-o-ll'na 
Carlisle, kar-llV 
Champlain, sham-plan' 
Chase, chds' 
Chaudiere, sho-dydr' (d as in 

care) 
Columbus, ko-lum'bus 
Concord, kong'kurd 
Connecticut, ko-net'i-kut 
Cornwallis, korn-wall'is 
Craig, krdg 
Currier, kur'v-er 



Daniel, dan'yd 
Darien, dd-rl-Sn' 
Darrah, dar'a 
Dearborn, deer'burn 
Deborah, deb'o-ra 
Delaware, del'a-wdr (d as in 
care) 

E 

Edmund, ed'mund 
England, ing'gland 
Eric, er'ik 
Europe, u'rup 
Ezekiel, e-zee'ki-el 



135 



PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES 



Ferdinand, fur'di-nand 
Ferguson, fur'gu-sun 
Frankfort, frank' furl 
Freehold, free'hold 



Georgia, jor'ji-a 
Germantown, jer' man-town 



Haiti, hd'Vt 

Hampshire, hamp'shlr 
Hancock, han'kok 
Harlem, har'lem 
Hartman, hart'man 
Hessian, hesh'an 
Huldah, hvl'da 



Illinois, il-i-noi' 
Indian, in'di-an 
Indies, in'dlz 
Isabella, iz-a-beVa 
Israel, iz'ra-el 



Jameson, jdm'sun 
Joel, jo'el 



Kennebec, hen-e-hek' 
Knowlton, nol'tun 



Lawrence, law'rens 
Leif, llf 



Levi, lee'tn 
Lincoln, ling'kun 
Livingston, liv'ing-stun 
London, lun'dun 
Lydia, lid'i-a 

M 

Margaret, mar'ga-ret 
Marshall, mar'shal 
Massachusetts, mas-a-chu'sets 
Mather mdth'er (th as in 

rather) 
McKean, ma-keen' 
Merrimac, m&r'i-mak 
Miles, milz 
Monmouth, mon'midh 

N 

Nathan, na'than 
Newburyport, nu'ber-i-port (u 

as in iise) 
Newfoundland (dog), nu-found'- 

land (u as in use) 
Nickerson, nik'er-sun 
Nina, ne'nya 
Noddle, nod'dl 
Normandy, nor'man-dl 



Pacific, pa-sif'ik 
Palmer, pdm'er (a as in arm) 
Palos, pd'los (d as in arm) 
Panama, pan-a-md' {& as in arm) 
Paulding, paul'ding 
Pendell, pen'del 
Pennsylvania, pen-sil-va'ni-a 
Philadelphia, fil-a-del'fl-a 

136 



PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES 



Pinta, pen'ta 

Pocahontas, po-ka-hon'tas 
Pompey, pom'pi 
Portsmouth, pdrts'muth 
Potomac, po-to'mak 
Princeton, prins'tun 
Put, pat (a as in but) 
Putnam, put'nam 



Saratoga, sdr-a-to'ga 
Scituate, sit'u-dt 
Scotland, skot'land 
Seine, sdn {d as in care) 
Serapis, se-rd'pis 
Spaniard, span'yard 
Stanwix, stan'wiks 
Stephen, stee'vn 



Quebec, kwe-bek' 

R 

Rebecca, re-bek'a 
Regina, re-ji'na 
Rhode, rod 
Rolfe, rolf 

S 

Salisbury, soh'bSr-l 

Santa Maria, sdn'ta md-re'a 

(a as in arm) 
Santo Domingo, sdn' to do-min'- 

ffo (a as in arm) 



Tarleton, tarl'tun 
Tarrytown, tdr'i-tovon 
Thomas, tom'as 
Thorwald, tdr'wdld {6 as in or) 



Viking, vl'king 
Vinland, vin'land 
Virginia, ver-jin'i-a 

W 

Washington, wash'ing-tun 
Welles, welz 
Whitemarsh, whit'marsh 



137 



BOOKS for BOYS and GIRLS 

ByA.F.Blaisdell and F.K.Ball 

The American History Story -Book 

Eighteen stirring stories of life in the early days of 
the American people, having to do mainly with the 
strange adventures of the young folks of that time. 



The EngHsh History Story-Book 

Stories that set forth stirring and striking episodes in 
the lives of the great figures of British history, that will 
serve as a preparation for the formal study of history later. 



The Child's Book of American History 

The most dramatic and picturesque events connected 
with the history of our country from the earliest time to 
the present day, are here put in story form. 



Heroic Deeds of American Sailors 

These tales set forth dramatic and picturesque events 
Illustrating the perils and bravery of our heroes of the 
sea. They are full of color and human interest, and 
should do much toward developing a taste for good 
reading in young people between the ages of nine 
and thirteen. 

Illustrated by Frank T. Merrill 



LITTLE, BROWN & CO., Publishers 

34 BEACON STREET, BOSTON 



